Interlochen Center for the Arts has approved a plan to tear down a lodge formerly named after Jeffrey Epstein.
Epstein attended Interlochen Arts Camp in northern Michigan near Traverse City during the summer of 1967 and donated to the Center for the Arts from 1990 to 2003, according to a statement from the Center for the Arts. He made contact with one of his first known victims at the camp, according to lawsuits included in the Epstein files.
The arts school and camp changed the name of the lodge donated by and named for Epstein in 2009 after Interlochen learned of Epstein’s first criminal conviction, according to the statement. It cut all ties with him at that time and conducted an internal review of its records. The lodge’s current name is Green Lake Lodge.
The Interlochen Board of Trustees approved a plan to raze Green Lake Lodge, according to an updated statement from the Center to the Arts sent to the Free Press on Tuesday, May 26. On Tuesday morning, Interlochen Public Radio broke the news the lodge would be destroyed.
According to the statement sent to the Free Press, the recommendation followed a “thorough and deliberate process.” The Board’s finance and budget committee, which is responsible for Interlochen’s real estate assets, considered the history, current condition, associated risks and broader impact on the community before recommending to raze it. The full board approved the recommendation.
“Green Lake Lodge has, over time, come to carry associations that are not reflective of who we are as an institution or the values we strive to uphold,” according to the statement. “After careful consideration, the Board determined that removing this structure in a safe and timely manner is the right step for Interlochen at this time. “
Interlochen conducted a second internal review when Epstein was arrested again in 2019. Both internal reviews found no records or reports of misconduct involving Epstein, according to the statement.
Last month, some Michigan lawmakers called for more review of Interlochen and introduced House Resolution 284 to create a committee to examine Interlochen’s relationship with Epstein.
According to the resolution, Epstein contributed over $400,000 to Interlochen. The resolution was introduced and referred to the Committee on Government Operations on April 16.
While Interlochen’s internal review focused on whether concerns had been reported or known to Interlochen, Interlochen is aware of two individuals sharing publicly that they met Epstein through Interlochen in the 1990s, according to its statement.
“We have invited the individuals who may have been impacted by Epstein to speak with an independent investigator as part of an external investigation into reports of historical misconduct at Interlochen Arts Academy,” according to the statement. “We have fully cooperated with requests from government agencies, and many of the files recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice were documents we previously provided to the authorities.”
Interlochen routinely reviews its policies related to the protection of minors and campus safety, according to the statement. Its safety policies can be found at interlochen.org/about/safety-interlochen.
“The safety and well-being of our students will always be our highest priority,” according to the statement. “We currently have a wide range of measures in place to provide a safe and supportive environment for all students.
The May 26 statement did not specify a date for the tearing down of Green Lake Lodge.
“Now that the Board has approved this plan, we expect to move forward soon,” according to the statement.
Interlochen Arts Camps begin June 20, according to its website.
Contact Natalie Davies at ndavies@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Interlochen to tear down lodge formerly named after Jeffrey Epstein
Reporting by Natalie Davies, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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