Kennedy Center Launches Renovation Tours to Showcase Urgent Repairs

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The Kennedy Center's new president, Matt Floca, is leading a series of tours for lawmakers, donors, and the media to showcase the performing arts venue's need for significant renovations. The tours highlight water damage, infrastructure issues, and other problems that Floca says require a major overhaul, not just routine maintenance. The tours come as the Kennedy Center faces controversy over a planned two-year closure approved by a Trump-appointed board.

Why it matters

The Kennedy Center has become a political flashpoint, with the Trump administration's involvement sparking lawsuits and criticism that the closure is a response to declining ticket sales rather than genuine infrastructure needs. These tours are an effort by the new leadership to demonstrate the building's deterioration and garner support for the renovation plans.

The details

The tours take participants through the Kennedy Center's water and HVAC systems, as well as its parking garages and loading docks, all of which Floca says are in need of repair. The tours have included staff for a bipartisan group of lawmakers, as well as representatives from the office of Washington's mayor. In the coming weeks, Floca plans to provide tours for the lawmakers themselves and members of the media.

• The tours began earlier this month while Congress was in recess.
• The Kennedy Center is set to close for two years starting in July 2026.

What they’re saying

What’s next

In the coming weeks, Floca is expected to provide tours for the lawmakers themselves and members of the media.