Kennedy Center Honors moved to Capital One Arena for Dec. 7 gala

LeftThe 49th Kennedy Center Honors will take place on Dec. 7, 2026, at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., rather than at the Kennedy Center itself. 1 2 LeftNBC News reports the center announced the move on Friday and that it is the first time in the event's nearly 50-year history that the Honors will not be held inside the building. 2 LeftThe center cited the closure of the main building and ongoing safety assessments; the arena seats around 20,000 people, compared with 2,300 in the Opera House where the ceremony has traditionally been held. 2

LeftThe main theaters have been closed since Sept. 15, after the board voted to close for renovations; the board cited a partial ceiling collapse in the Grand Foyer and a draft resolution proposed a two-year closure. 2 LeftExecutive Director Matt Floca said in court filings that the closure would be reconsidered week by week, depending on the safety assessment. 2 LeftThe closure sits amid a legal battle: a court has blocked President Donald Trump's effort to add his name to the building's exterior, twice according to The Hollywood Reporter and multiple times according to NBC News. 1 2

LeftTrump wrote on Truth Social in September that renovation cannot begin until the D.C. Circuit rules on the board's approved name, and that if the ruling is negative and not overturned by the Supreme Court, the renovation will not take place; he had also suggested the building could be demolished. 2 LeftThe 2026 honorees and a broadcaster will be announced later, and there is no word on whether Trump will host again; the 2025 ceremony he hosted aired on CBS and Paramount+ and had record-low ratings, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 1 LeftThe White House declined to comment to NBC News on the venue change. 2