President Donald Trump’s planned South Lawn has required a monumental effort from more than seven federal agencies, hundreds of staff working onsite daily and at least $60 million, according to a legal filing that offers a glimpse into the preparations.
The event is part of the 250th anniversary of America鈥檚 founding, and is scheduled for the weekend with the main attraction 鈥� seven mixed martial arts matches 鈥� on Sunday.
That is, if a judge doesn’t halt the proceedings, which is sought by two Virginia residents in a against the National Park Service, which oversees the South Lawn.
The agency filed a rebuff of the request Tuesday in court, and, in it, laid out the operations for the event.
鈥淲ell over $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of labor have been expended,鈥� the document read, adding that the money came from the UFC and groups affiliated with it.
The Octagon
It’s the that surrounds the sometimes bloodied combatants and sits at the center of the constructed arena on the South Lawn.
The arena is expected to hold 4,000 spectators, with another 120,000 visitors 鈥� who swung tickets from an online lottery 鈥� anticipated to watch from the nearby Ellipse.
The installation began May 20, and the Secret Service worked with the UFC to screen between 20 and 30 trucks of equipment 鈥� as well as between 鈥�700 and 900鈥� staff 鈥� that came in daily for the installation.
The document did not specify the extent of government resources spent on the project, but said seven agencies, including Homeland Security and the Federal Aviation Administration, have 鈥渁llocated significant resources and manpower.”
The schedule
It鈥檒l kick off Saturday with a ceremonial weigh-in at the Ellipse, followed by a concert by country musicians The Zac Brown Band.
A UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest will be ongoing through the weekend, with 鈥渋nteractive experiences,鈥� live shows, celebrity appearances, 鈥渆xclusive on-stage moments,鈥� meet and greets, live music and interviews with the athletes.
Sunday night is when the seven bouts kick off. At the close, Trump is scheduled to fly to France for the G7 summit.
Disassembly of the installations will begin the next day, and they are expected to be entirely removed by June 23.
The athletes’ Epsom salt baths
There are 14 athletes competing, and their training is rigorous.
Preparations start months in advance, working toward more intense weight cutting and diet alteration in the final week that can include fasting, extreme sauna use and hot Epsom salt baths.
They could be shaving as many as 20 pounds before weigh-ins, which are designed to keep the competition fair between similarly weighted combatants.
Lawsuit calls it 鈥榗orrupt鈥�
It was filed Saturday by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of the two Virginia residents and argues that Trump鈥檚 authorization of the event violated National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events on federal parklands.
One of the attorneys, Brendan Ballou, characterized it as a 鈥渃orrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain.”
The National Park Service pushed back on that claim, but also detailed the event’s preparations to make a point.
鈥淎ll these hopes could be dashed at the very last moment,” it read, “by the whim of two people who believe they have superior taste and want to spoil the event for everyone else.鈥�
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