Kennedy Center Board Votes for Two-Year Closure Despite Earlier Court Ruling

The Kennedy Center's board has voted to close most of the performing arts venue for two years to allow for substantial renovations, despite an earlier federal court ruling that blocked the institution's original closure plan, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

Ahead of the meeting, Kennedy Center management presented the board with three options for consideration.

They included a complete closure; a partial closure that would allow "some continued public access and limited programming in spaces unaffected" by the work; and a third option involving a limited series of phased closures focused on the Center's most serious infrastructure needs while maintaining a full slate of programming.

The board ultimately chose the two-year closure, while leaving open the possibility of some outdoor programming at the Reach, an outdoor arts and community space.

The decision came after U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper blocked the board's earlier closure plan, saying its March 16 vote appeared "ill-informed and seemingly preordained."

The board, which is largely composed of President Donald Trump's allies, also voted to add Trump's name to the Kennedy Center's facade, a move that has prompted further legal and political controversy.