Donald Trump has been envisioning a new ballroom on the White House campus for a decade and a half.
His dream is about to become a reality.
Starting in September, construction is set to commence on an 8,400-square-metre ballroom estimated at $US200 million ($310 million), as announced by the president’s press secretary. This project fulfills a long-standing dream of the president to create a grand event venue on White House grounds, enhancing its entertaining capacity and mirroring the opulent decor of his private clubs.
The planned ballroom will uphold the “theme and architectural heritage” of the neoclassical executive mansion, according to the White House. It will offer seating for 650 guests, significantly surpassing the capacity of the East Room, which currently stands as the largest room for events at the White House.
“President Trump is a builder at heart and has an extraordinary eye for detail,” White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said in a statement.
“The president and the Trump administration remain fully dedicated to collaborating with relevant organizations to protect the historic integrity of the White House while developing a magnificent ballroom for the enjoyment of future Administrations and generations of Americans.”
Leavitt described the upcoming development, funded by Trump and other private donors, as a vital addition. She noted that previous administrations had been compelled to use temporary tents on the South Lawn for large events, which she deemed “unsightly”.
“For 150 years, presidents, administrations, and White House staff have aspired to have a spacious event area on the White House complex to accommodate many more guests than is currently possible,” she stated.
“President Trump has expressed his commitment to solving this problem on behalf of future administrations and the American people.”
Trump, she added, recently held meetings with officials from the National Park Service, the White House Military Office, and the US Secret Service to “discuss design elements and plans.”
An architect known for “classical architectural design,” McCrery Architects, was selected to spearhead the project.
“I am honoured that President Trump has entrusted me to help bring this beautiful and necessary renovation to The People’s House, while preserving the elegance of its classical design and historical importance,” the firm’s CEO Jim McCrery said in a statement.
The vision of a new White House ballroom floated in Trump’s mind dating back at least to 2010, when he called Barack Obama’s White House offering to build one.
“It was going to cost about $100 million,” Trump said during his first term.
“I offered to do it, and I never heard back.”
