UFC President Dana White was showing Ari Emmanuel, the CEO of Endeavor, UFC’s parent company, around the promotion’s performance institute shortly before it opened two years ago when the latter became distracted.
Emmanuel was looking out the window of the East entrance with his gaze set about 100 yards away to Scientific Games’ neighboring corporate headquarters.
“I want to buy that building,” White recalls Emmanuel telling him.
White didn’t understand his boss’ desire at the time, but he does now. Endeavor acquired the plot last year, and after less than six months of construction and renovations, is ready to unveil the newest wing of the UFC’s sprawling campus located just off the Jones Boulevard exit of the 215 Beltway.