Overview
- Crews have begun erecting a temporary octagon and a large lighting rig on the South Lawn as organizers keep the UFC Freedom 250 event scheduled for June 14.
- UFC and parent company TKO say they will cover roughly $60 million in production costs, but the Department of Homeland Security has labeled the event SEAR 1, meaning federal and local security operations will be extensive and likely use public funds.
- Organizers plan about 4,000 to 5,000 invite-only seats on the lawn with additional free viewing on large screens at the Ellipse for tens of thousands of people.
- UFC officials and commentators have warned that weather, heat and insects pose real risks for an outdoor championship fight, and some invited celebrities have already declined attendance.
- The buildout has provoked bipartisan criticism and renewed debate over commercial uses of presidential grounds, and it could drive further scrutiny of security costs, crowd control plans and the semiquincentennial programming.