The businessman Paolo Zampolli has counted Donald J. Trump as a good friend for many years. Within the Nineties, when Mr. Zampolli ran a modeling company, he performed matchmaker for Mr. Trump, introducing him at a celebration to his future spouse, Melania.
Now Mr. Zampolli, 55, helps Mr. Trump in one other approach: reshaping the John F. Kennedy Middle for the Performing Arts in Washington.
Mr. Zampolli has served on the middle’s board since Mr. Trump appointed him towards the top of his first time period. However issues have modified quickly since Mr. Trump started his second time period with the gorgeous takeover of the traditionally bipartisan establishment, firing all the Biden appointees on its board and having himself elected chairman.
Precisely what all of it means remains to be coming into focus. A lot of artists have canceled appearances there, and the musical “Hamilton” scrapped a deliberate tour there subsequent yr. Richard Grenell, whom Mr. Trump named as its new president, just lately mentioned that the middle deliberate “a giant, large celebration of the delivery of Christ at Christmas.”
Mr. Zampolli, who shares Mr. Trump’s attention-grabbing instincts, has his personal concepts. He desires the middle to launch artwork into house with the assistance of Elon Musk, host Valentino style exhibits and to open a marina on the Potomac and a Cipriani restaurant.
“We have to make the Kennedy Middle a vacation spot,” Mr. Zampolli, a particular envoy for Mr. Trump who as soon as served as a United Nations ambassador of Dominica, mentioned in a current interview. “It has the hugest potential ever.”
The dialog has been edited and condensed for size and readability.
You’ve argued that the Kennedy Middle is due for an overhaul.
If you go to Saks Fifth Avenue, they attempt to maximize each inch, each sq. foot of the house. It needs to be a bankable enterprise, and so will we.
The aim of the middle is to carry more cash and folks in. However the Kennedy Middle just isn’t actually a vacation spot. When individuals say, “Hey, the place are we going to tonight?,” you don’t take into consideration the Kennedy Middle. All of the concepts that I got here up with are about making it a vacation spot level.
What are your concepts?
We will have a style present with Valentino, the highest designer on the planet, in honor of Jacqueline Kennedy. That will be very glamorous. You possibly can seat a pair thousand individuals for a gala, who pay $200 a ticket, and folks will go, and the middle will make cash.
We will franchise the Kennedy Middle’s title in Europe and Asia and the Center East, just like the Louvre does in Abu Dhabi. That will be profitable.
You possibly can construct a marina. I’m satisfied it could be terrific. The Kennedy Middle may be very troublesome to entry. You place in a bit marina, and on the weekend you go there — the yachts park there. You go to a wonderful restaurant. Will probably be a wonderful expertise.
You’ve additionally urged sending artwork to the Worldwide House Station. How would that work? Would you ship classics by the masters?
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. We gained’t ship a Michaelangelo to house. We gained’t ship Picasso to house. However a residing artist might do three items of artwork. One to ship to house, one to public sale off to boost cash and one to journey round. Think about a miniature of the bull of Wall Road — a tiny one, a 4-inch one — on the I.S.S.
What do you say to those that is likely to be skeptical of your concepts?
I’m not altering the path of the artwork. With the style present, for instance, it’s not a everlasting style present, it’s not a everlasting exhibit. It’s not “Oh, the loopy man desires to usher in fashions.” No. It’s a couple of once-a-year gala dinner and style present.
President Trump has mentioned that he desires to make the Kennedy Middle “sizzling.” What does that imply?
It’s stunning how many individuals don’t know concerning the Kennedy Middle or methods to even get there. All people in Milan is aware of about La Scala. Some individuals don’t even know the place the Kennedy Middle is.
How will “Make America Nice Once more” philosophy translate within the arts?
I don’t assume the MAGA motion has any relation to tradition. He gained the election with MAGA. However he didn’t win the election campaigning on the Kennedy Middle.
Some individuals have urged that the president may search to impose his personal cultural tastes on the middle, or to characteristic artists who’ve supported him. Have you ever spoken with him about his imaginative and prescient?
I’ve not. However the president understands that is referred to as the Kennedy Middle for the Performing Arts. Arts and sports activities shouldn’t be political.
The president has drawn criticism for purging the Kennedy Middle’s board of Biden appointees and making himself chairman.
The middle falls underneath federal authority, and the imaginative and prescient of some earlier board members didn’t align with the president’s. He felt the individuals round him would go utterly in opposition to his views. He had the entire proper to fireplace them.
For years, the Kennedy Middle had a bipartisan custom, with Republicans and Democrats working collectively on the board.
Within the outdated system, we couldn’t get enhancements. Now, if the president is concerned, the middle has limitless potential. This may minimize the paperwork. There are people who find themselves very near the president on the board proper now. They are going to be capable of escalate points on to him.
Are you assured within the heart’s capability to boost cash going ahead? The president fired the chairman of the board, the financier David Rubenstein, who gave the middle nicely over $100 million through the years and helped domesticate different donors.
I love David’s enterprise success, his attraction and his generosity to the middle. I’m certain there are lots of, many, many different very rich individuals who would like to step in for donations. However for me, as a businessman, I see the significance of getting a bankable enterprise. You carry extra individuals, you might have a greater restaurant, you might have a greater place, and also you make more cash. We shouldn’t ask individuals to donate simply because it’s referred to as the Kennedy Middle. For those who make it the most well liked place on the planet, you double the guests, and you’ll have traces exterior.
The middle is house to the acclaimed Nationwide Symphony Orchestra and the Washington Nationwide Opera. Will these establishments survive underneath Mr. Trump?
One-hundred %. Having an orchestra and opera firm is likely one of the core values of a middle like this. All over the place on the planet there’s something like this.
A number of high-profile artists have withdrawn from the Kennedy Middle in current weeks in protest of Mr. Trump’s actions. The producers of “Hamilton” just lately canceled a run there. Do you are concerned that the middle may have hassle partaking stars?
I respect freedom of speech and peaceable protest. But when these artists don’t wish to work there, don’t fear. There’s going to be one other hundred who wish to work there. A thousand individuals would like to work there.
