The United States President Donald Trump administration has warned that Washington, DC's Kennedy Center could be demolished if planned renovations are not allowed to proceed. In a Monday federal court filing, US Department of Justice lawyers said the performing arts venue is in terrible trouble and cannot survive structurally or financially without help from the president or his administration. They said an outdoor amphitheatre overlooking the adjacent Potomac River could replace the venue, though such a structure would fail to adequately honor its namesake, former US President John F Kennedy, while being simpler and more economical. The warning emerged in the administration's response to US Representative Joyce Beatty's lawsuit seeking to block Trump's name from being added to the building. Trump-appointed board members voted 20-3 to place the phrase restored and renovated by President Donald J. Trump beneath existing signage, after the board had previously renamed the venue after Trump before a judge ordered his name removed from the facade. The Kennedy Center opened in 1971 to honor the fallen president. Its possible demolition is likely to draw opposition from preservation groups and others resisting Trump's changes to the site. Renovation plans include replacing stage lifts and rigging systems, electrical work and measures to prevent water leaks. Trump announced in February that the building would close for two years of renovations, but a judge blocked the move, calling an earlier board vote ill-informed and seemingly preordained. The board voted earlier this month to proceed with the closure. The White House did not immediately respond to Al Jazeera's request for comment.