# Kennedy Center Honors Move to Off-Site Venue

> Kennedy Center Honors shifts venue for first time in 50 years due to building closure.
- Title: Kennedy Center Honors Move to Off-Site Venue · NBC News
- Summary: Kennedy Center Honors shifts venue for first time in 50 years due to building closure. Kennedy Center Honors will be held at Capital One Arena instead of the…
- Keywords: kennedy center honors, capitol one arena, john f kennedy memorial center, renovation, safety assessment, president trump, d.c. circuit court, truth social, politics, news, Kennedy, Center
- Source: NBC News — https://nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/kennedy-center-honors-off-site-first-time-ceremony-history-rcna601112
- Author: Gary Grumbach
- Published: 2026-10-02T16:00:12.95+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: kennedy center honors, capitol one arena, john f kennedy memorial center, renovation, safety assessment, president trump, d.c. circuit court, truth social, politics, news
## Kennedy Center Honors venue change
The Kennedy Center Honors will not be held inside the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts this year for the first time in the event's nearly 50-year history.
## Venue shift to Capital One Arena
The ceremony will move to Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, D.C., which seats 20,000 people compared to the 2,300 seats in the center's Opera House.
## Reason for venue change
The main building is closed for planned renovations after a partial ceiling collapse in the Grand Foyer was cited as evidence for immediate closure.
## Safety concerns and closure
The Kennedy Center's board considers the main building unsafe for continued occupancy and anticipates further risk to the public and employees if not immediately closed and renovated.
## Trump's stance on renovations
President Trump stated renovations wouldn't happen unless his name was added to the building, which a federal judge has blocked multiple times.
## Legal challenges to closure
The D.C. Circuit court has ruled on the board's approved name change, and the renovation timeline depends on the court's decision.
## What happens next
The ceremony is scheduled for December 7, with honorees to be announced later this year.
## Key takeaway

Kennedy Center Honors will be held at Capital One Arena instead of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the first time in the event's 50-year history due to safety concerns and renovation plans.