Kennedy Center Votes for Major Name Change to Trump-Kennedy Performing Arts Center, According to Administration Statement.
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The board of trustees of the iconic performing arts venue has decided to adopt a new name the Trump-Kennedy Center, as confirmed by the White House.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declared online that the board's vote was unified, crediting "the unbelievable work President Trump has done over the last year in rescuing the building."
"This promises to be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt achieve new levels of success and grandeur," Leavitt added.
The proposed move is shaping up as deeply divisive, especially in Washington, D.C., where the center has served as an architectural and cultural icon since its construction and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Background of the Center
Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump fired all the center's incumbent trustees and named loyalists in their place. The reconstituted board subsequently voted to appoint Trump as chairman.
The president later secured approximately $257 million in appropriated money to cover major renovations and associated costs at the aging venue.
Inception
The vision for a federal performing arts center was first proposed in the 1950s. Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the planned venue was dedicated to his memory.
This report is being updated. Additional information will be published soon.
