How much it cost to build UFC Octagon at White House, capacity and more Freedom 250 details

Several presidents like George Washington and Dwight Eisenhower began as war leaders. Andrew Jackson reportedly engaged in over 100 duels, even with his own governor. But the president rarely invites formal fights into his place of residence. 

Enter the UFC and Donald Trump. To celebrate the United States approaching its 250th anniversary, an Octagon must first be built on the White House lawn. Between logistics, safety and attendance, this event will need some top-notch planning and execution. 

Oh, and barrels of money. It is not cheap to plan a major UFC fight card, much less one at the White House, a venue that has never handled this type of combat event. 

Here are the cost details for a monumental White House fight. 

MORE: Full UFC White House card details

How much did UFC Freedom 250 cost?

Between construction, fighter salaries and production, this event is expected to cost about $60 million. 

In order to prepare, the White House has had to build a makeshift arena on the building's South Lawn, complete with an octagon, an overheard structure and thousands of seats. 

The White House has not invested any money in this, with the government's role being limited to the planning, including the power to approve and deny certain project designs and formats. 

UFC White House Octagon details

Building an arena on the White House lawn is no easy task, with construction crews working day and night shifts for several weeks to ensure that the venue was done in time. 

"I think a lot of people would look at [it] from a distance and say: This is impossible," said Craig Borsari, Chief Content Officer and Executive Producer for UFC, to ESPN. "I like really tough challenges." 

There were also background checks more extensive than ever for those involved, given the gravitas of the location. 

"The White House is going to do extensive background checks and all that stuff for everybody -- not just fighters [but] anybody who steps on that property that night," UFC chief executive Dana White told ESPN.

There was also an emphasis on this venue not being a cheap or torn-down stadium. Even the bathrooms are expected to be neat and tidy. 

"Like, if you stayed at the f---ing Four Seasons, these are the kind of bathrooms that we're installing in there," White told ESPN. 

UFC White House capacity

The capacity for the event is expected to be a minimum of 4,000 available seats. Additionally, there is a standing-room-only area on the White House lawn to watch the fights take place. In total, this is expected to land around 4,300 tickets. 

There will also be a watch party for this event on the Ellipse, a public park just south of the White House fence. This has a capacity of 85,000 and is a ticketed event. 

Did UFC Freedom 250 use taxpayer money?

This event is not using any taxpayer money, with TKO, the UFC's parent company, eating the full cost for this event. In fact, TKO is expected to lose $30 million on this event because of it. 

TKO president Mark Shapiro sees this event not as a direct profit source, but as "the greatest earned marketing tool of all time," according to a March interview with the Sports Business Journal.