Kennedy Center Rep to Newsmax: Previous Management Ran Facility Into Ground

Renovations at the Trump-Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts are necessary after years of deferred maintenance and financial strain, Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations for the Washington, D.C., cultural center, told Newsmax.

"There is so much that needs to be done at the Trump-Kennedy Center," Daravi said Feb. 11 during the opening night of the American Ballet Theater's "The Winter's Tale," by Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon.

"I'll just tell you the former management of this institution ran it into the ground both physically and financially," Daravi said. "They left us with a $250 million estimated deferred maintenance bill."

President Donald Trump, who serves as board chair of the Trump-Kennedy Center, has announced the complex will close July 4 to begin renovations, coinciding with the nation's 250th anniversary.

He said construction will fashion a "new and spectacular entertainment complex."

Daravi said core infrastructure systems are among the top priorities.

She said basic needs such as plumbing, HVAC and electricity are just some of the priorities of the revamp.

Patrons can also expect to see a facelift of the marble on the exterior.

"This marble needs a lot of work, and it's a really complicated process," she said. "He [Trump] described it as something extremely unique where you can actually cut back just a very small piece of the marble and it becomes brand new, but if you do too much, then it's destroyed.

"We're very lucky to have his insight on all of this and leading the discussions with our head of facilities in order to make sure that we know, change what needs to be changed and keep what can be kept."

Daravi said lawmakers have oversight of the restoration budget and are working with the center's staff.

"We look forward to continuing conversations with the Congress and making sure that the American people as well can get updates on everything that's being done here in America's cultural center," she said.

Kari Lake, senior adviser for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, said Trump's background in development makes him the right person to oversee the effort.

"We can't let this beautiful Trump Kennedy Center crumble," she said. "And I can't think of a better person on the planet than Donald J. Trump, President Donald J. Trump, the builder, the real estate tycoon. He understands construction, to oversee this project."

Trump said the decision to close followed a year-long review involving contractors, arts experts and other advisers. He said a temporary closure would allow the renovations to be completed faster and at a higher quality than if construction were carried out during performances.

Lake also said Rick Grenell, president of the Trump-Kennedy Center, will work alongside Trump during the project.

"I can't think of a better person than Rick Grenell to be right alongside the president making sure that everything the president wants to see is taken care of here so brilliantly to do this quickly in two years," she said. "I think it'll come in under [budget] because I know how the president operates.

"He says two years is going to deliver before that only under budget, and it's going to wow everybody."

Daravi said programming will continue until the closure and might expand in the interim.

"If anything, we will be adding things," she said. "We've added movies in the Millennium Stage area for Black History Month. So anytime we can add anything extra throughout the building, we will.

"And I'll say this, the former management of this institution woefully underutilized the space. We see it as much more than a theater. It is an event center. It is America's cultural center.

"And we want to use every single inch of this facility and we're definitely going to use every inch of it as much as we can until the building closes for renovation."

She said the final event before the renovation will be the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

"We will have the Mark Twain Prize award so that will be just before the building closes for renovation and we have not yet announced to the recipient is of that award, but we will soon, so keep an eye out for that because it will be an amazing show," she said.

GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:

NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!

Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.

You need to watch NEWSMAX today.

Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!

Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now

BEST OFFER:

Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.

Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.

Even get Jon Voight’s special series and President Trump’s comedy programs and much more!

Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.

Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!