Raymond F. Kravis was a prominent geologist and philanthropist from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who wintered in Palm Beach for more than 35 years. In 1985, a consortium of his friends donated more than $7 million to name the facility for Mr. Kravis.
In September 1992, the Kravis Center doors opened to an anxiously awaiting community. The Center’s dedication week hosted tens of thousands of patrons for a full week of free performances featuring local arts groups.
More than 2,000 guests attended the spectacular event along with one of the largest national and foreign press corps to ever cover an arts center opening. After the star-studded show, guests proceeded to the magically transformed roof of the Kravis Center parking garage where the dinner dance took place.
