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In the small town of Lititz, Pennsylvania — population 9,733 — a towering structure being prepared for UFC Freedom 250 at the White House has become an unexpected local attraction ahead of the June 14 event.
The Lititz Record Express shared a photo of the structure on the newspaper’s Facebook page on April 20, and the town’s sneak peek quickly spread across social media.
According to Jeremy Strathmeyer, a member of the Warwick Township Board of Supervisors in Lititz, the structure stands 90 feet tall and measures 120 by 120 feet at its base.
Strathmeyer said the board approved a special request from TAIT Global LLC on April 15 to test the structure at its facility on Furnace Hills Pike. Jeff Tennis, vice chairman of the Warwick Township Board of Supervisors, also confirmed the approval.
One Facebook commenter said she initially thought the structure was part of a roller coaster.
But according to the Lititz Record Express, it is actually “a temporary open-air studio structure to serve as the centerpiece” during the UFC’s seven-fight card at the White House.
The structure was assembled in just a few days. Strathmeyer said he left town Friday and believes it may already have been taken down.
“I think they disassembled it, loaded it onto 18-wheelers, and are getting ready to transport it to Washington,” Strathmeyer said. “That was the plan.”
TAIT’s website says the design and production company has worked on projects ranging from world-class theme parks to presidential libraries and indoor ski parks.
“This isn’t their first rodeo,” Strathmeyer said, noting that TAIT has also worked on the Super Bowl.
According to the newspaper’s post, “Following the local test and disassembly (going on now), the specialized structure will be reassembled at the White House” for UFC Freedom 250.
The event will also feature a temporary 4,500-seat arena on the White House South Lawn. Deadline.com reported that an overflow area at the 52-acre Ellipse park could accommodate up to 100,000 people.
