ORLANDO, Fla. – The Pulse Nightclub property, the site of one of the country’s worst mass shootings, will be sold to the city of Orlando, News 6 has confirmed.
Seven years ago a gunman went into the Pulse nightclub, killing 49 people and injuring dozens more.
Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan told News 6 that the agreement to purchase the property from owner Barbara Poma will go to the city council on Monday for approval.
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The agenda item for Monday’s city council meeting shows the city plans to pay $2 million for the property.
Sheehan said there was no opposition to the purchase among city commissioners, and if approved, the real estate transaction would close the following Friday, Oct. 27.
The announcement of this sale comes after a tumultuous series of events over the summer that slowed down the construction of a memorial honoring those killed on June 12, 2016.
The onePulse Foundation, which spearheaded the memorial and museum efforts soon after the shooting, announced in April it was splitting up with Poma, who founded the organization.
In May, the foundation announced it would be building a permanent memorial on a different site after Poma’s investment partner refused to donate the land the nightclub sits on to the foundation.
In July, the foundation announced it was terminating its lease of the nightclub property with Poma after it was discovered a temporary use permit had lapsed.
The foundation said they would continue paying for utilities, security, and other items until Aug. 31, which roughly cost from $9,000 to $10,000 each month.
On Sept. 1, Poma told News 6 she would pick up the tab, and she has been paying for it since then.
On Wednesday, Barbara and Rosario Poma released a statement:
“After the senseless, horrific tragedy of June 12, 2016, the site where Pulse nightclub stands will finally serve as the permanent national memorial. As we always intended, it will honor the 49 lives taken while providing a sanctuary for victims’ families, all survivors, first responders and for our community. We are grateful to Mayor Dyer and the City Commission for making this a reality.
“June 12, 2016 will always be remembered for the despicable act of terrorism and attack on the LGBTQIA+ community, but our hope is that this sacred ground will become a space for healing. Pulse nightclub opened as a place of love and acceptance for all and will now forever serve as a reminder that no act of hate can ever erase love.”
Barbara and Rosario Poma
Deborah Bowie, executive director of onePulse Foundation also issued a statement on Wednesday:
“We are thankful to the City of Orlando for ensuring that the National Pulse Memorial will be located at the Pulse nightclub site, which was always the hope of families of the 49 victims and the Pulse-impacted community. We look forward to being a part of the discussion with the City of Orlando as this moves forward.”
Deborah Bowie, executive director of onePulse Foundation
Brandon Wolf, a survivor of the Pulse nightclub shooting posted a statement on social media that read, “Good. It’s time for a permanent space where people can grieve, reflect, and honor those stolen from us. One created by and for the community.”
Good. It’s time for a permanent space where people can grieve, reflect, and honor those stolen from us. One created by and for the community. https://t.co/WKdhHvSLJN
— Brandon Wolf (@bjoewolf) October 18, 2023
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer issued a statement:
Creating a memorial to the victims of the Pulse tragedy has been a challenging endeavor, with the current plan for the memorial to be built somewhere besides the actual Pulse site.
We recently had the opportunity to meet with and listen to some of the family members of the victims, as well as survivors. They expressed their strong desire for a lasting memorial to be located on the Pulse site. The hurt and pain they shared - now more than seven years since the tragedy - only solidified our belief that the 49 angels deserve a permanent memorial on the Pulse site.
In the interest of solving challenges in a way that brings our community together in love, acceptance and partnership, which is the enduring legacy of Pulse, we have decided to purchase the land from its current owners. We believe that this is the best and most appropriate way to expedite the creation of a proper memorial for the Pulse tragedy.
Given that the City has not been a part of this process, our plan is to first acquire the land, and then determine the appropriate next steps. We are committed to taking a thoughtful, collaborative approach to understand the history of the effort to create a memorial up until this point, and then working with the victims’ families and survivors to ensure there is a memorial at the Pulse site that honors the victims, those impacted by the tragedy and pays tribute to the resiliency of Orlando.
This proposed land purchase will go before the City Council for approval on October 23, 2023.
Buddy Dyer, Orlando Mayor
This is a developing story. Check back with News 6 for the latest.
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