The Kennedy Center Honors will move to a new location for the first time in its history, as it will be held at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. on December 7.
The ceremony's contract with CBS, which broadcast the event since its origin in 1978, expired last year.
What's Behind the Move?
The ceremony's contract with CBS, which broadcast the event since its origin in 1978, expired last year.
The Ongoing Legal Battle
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction ruling that only Congress could add another name to the center, and ordering that the president's name be taken down from its façade and other materials.
The judge also prohibited the center from closing for two years unless the board more fully weighed its impact.
The center has said that the recent closure is temporary, with safety risks being assessed on a week-to-week basis following the recent collapse of part of the ceiling.
This ruling is part of a larger legal battle between the Kennedy Center and the Trump administration, which has been trying to add the president's name to the center's façade.
The Trump administration has argued that the center's renovation plans are unconstitutional, as they do not allow for the addition of the president's name.
However, the judge has ruled that the center's renovation plans are indeed constitutional, and that the president's name can be removed from the façade and other materials.
The center has said that it will comply with the judge's ruling, but has also stated that it will appeal the decision.
The Financial Struggles
The finances of the center have deteriorated, with its attorneys from the Justice Department warning last month that it was facing 'certain financial collapse within weeks'.
The attorneys later told an appeals court that Trump had raised $17 million 'to keep it afloat'.
The attorneys wrote that 'the funds are fast being expended, and without the Trump Administration, the accounts will dry up and Center will continue its deterioration into an unsafe structure that will eventually collapse, with a determination to follow on how to proceed and what to do with the site.'
This financial struggle is a major concern for the center, as it has been relying on the Trump administration for funding to keep the center open.
The Impact on the Ceremony
The 49th Kennedy Center Honors gala will go on despite the recent closure of the Kennedy Center, with the event moving to the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 7.
The honorees and a broadcaster for the program will be disclosed at a later date.
The annual event will take place amid an ongoing legal battle as President Trump attempts to add his name to the building.
A photo of President Trump reviewing what looks to be a rendering of a demolished Kennedy Center was featured in a court filing Thursday asking for an emergency hearing over the center's recent closure.
In mid-September, a picture of the president aboard Air Force One reviewing plans that were titled 'Kennedy Center Demo[lished]' prompted panic as architectural, preservation and civic organizations asked the court for a 'neutral officer to protect the building and institution.'
A federal judge ordered Kennedy Center leaders to provide 30 days' notice before any changes, including demolition.
Last year's Kennedy Center Honors gala, which recognizes artists who have contributed to American culture, was hosted by Trump and televised on CBS and Paramount.
The ceremony, which honored Sylvester Stallone, Kiss, Gloria Gaynor, Michael Crawford and George Strait, earned the lowest ratings in its history.
It was not announced whether Trump would return as master of ceremonies for this year's event.
Sources
- Deadline: Print Print Kennedy Center Honors To Move To Capital One Arena Amid Closure Of Arts Complex
- Los Angeles Times: Kennedy Center Honors move to new venue amid building closure and Trump dispute
