President Donald Trump’s planned UFC fight on the White House’s 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
The event is part of the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, and is scheduled for the weekend with the main attraction — seven mixed martial arts matches — on Sunday.
The National Park Service, which oversees the South Lawn, has filed a rebuff of a request to halt the proceedings, which was sought by two Virginia residents in a federal lawsuit.
Preparations
The installation of the Octagon, the eight-sided cage that surrounds the combatants, began May 20, and the Secret Service worked with the UFC to screen between 20 and 30 trucks of equipment — as well as between 700 and 900 staff — 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 allocated significant resources and manpower.
Lawsuit
The lawsuit, filed by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of the two Virginia residents, argues that Trump’s 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 corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain.
Schedule
The event will 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 interactive experiences, live shows, celebrity appearances, exclusive on-stage moments, 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.
Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.
