Inside the $1 Million White House UFC Lawn Fix and the Real Cost of Resodding Your Own Property

After hosting the UFC Freedom 250 event on June 14—President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday—the White House South Lawn sustained significant damage, including large patches of discolored grass and dirt everywhere. 

ScottsMiracle-Gro in Marysville, OH, pledged $1 million to restore the lawn. It plans to resod it right away and later develop a custom blend of turfgrass that can better withstand public events.

“Creating a proprietary blend for the White House’s unique conditions presented a distinct set of challenges," explained Matthew Koch, R&D lawns research fellow at ScottsMiracle-Gro, in a press release. "It is a functional lawn that has to stand up to hundreds of events and thousands of people each year."

The project will be privately funded rather than paid for with taxpayer dollars and fortunately, the lawn should look as good as new once it’s complete. 

“While damage during Trump's event has been documented, lawns, by nature, are very resilient and forgiving. With a bit of effort and time, it will soon be impossible to see any signs that a UFC fight dome was held there,” says Nathan Heinrich, horticulturist, landscape designer, and organic farmer at Nathan Heinrich Inc. in New Hope, TN.

Though you might not be hosting massive pay-per-view fights as a homeowner, factors like heavy foot traffic, pests, and backyard projects can leave your lawn looking equally torn up, compacted, and dead.  

Fortunately, you can restore it to the healthy, lush condition you’re longing for—and in many cases, doing it yourself is the smarter, more economical option.

Core issues of severe lawn damage and how to address them

When a lawn is subjected to heavy foot traffic, equipment, or large-scale events, three things tend to happen simultaneously: soil compaction, turf displacement, and dead patches. 

Here's how to address each one without breaking the bank.

Soil compaction 

If your soil is compressed, air pockets disappear, and roots will suffocate. 

“The fix is core aeration—a process where small plugs of soil are mechanically removed to open up the ground. Rent a core aerator from a local home improvement store and do this in early fall or early spring when the grass is actively growing,” advises Heinrich.

Turf displacement 

Address uprooted or displaced turf with targeted re-sodding for large bare areas (over 6 square feet) and over seeding for thinner, patchy zones. 

“When laying sod, always amend the soil first with a 1- to 2-inch layer of compost worked several inches deep. This is the step most home gardeners skip, but later regret,” Heinrich says.

Dead patches

To resolve most dead patches, the ideal sequence is: Remove dead grass, loosen 3 to 4 inches of soil, add compost, overseed generously at 1.5 times the recommended rate, and cover lightly with straw.

“Then, water twice daily for two to three weeks until germination—the point when grass seeds or new grass starts to appear,” adds Heinrich.

Is it worth it to hire a pro?

If you go the DIY route and rehabilitate a moderately damaged lawn of approximately 1,000 square feet, it will run you between $150 and $350, according to Heinrich.

This figure includes a core aerator rental ($70 to $100 per day), a few cubic yards of compost ($30 to $60), premium blend grass seed ($25 to $50), starter fertilizer ($20 to $35), and straw mulch ($10 to $20).

“If you invest in a professional lawn service, expect to pay anywhere from $800 to $2,500+ for the same area, depending on your location and the extent of the damage,” explains Heinrich. 

This rate usually includes labor, materials, equipment, and a follow-up visit. 

“Clearly, the DIY savings are significant, but the real dividend is understanding your soil. When you do the work yourself, you learn what your lawn actually needs, and that knowledge pays off for years,” adds Heinrich.

Of course, if you don’t have the time or desire to give your lawn the TLC deserves, outsourcing the work to a pro may make sense.