Orange County Commissioners unanimously approved $5 million in funding on Tuesday to help construct a permanent memorial honoring the victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting. The funds, drawn from general revenue, will be used to support the City of Orlando in developing the tribute to the 49 lives lost and the dozens wounded in the mass shooting on June 12, 2016.
The total cost of the memorial project is estimated at $12.5 million. Orlando, which has already spent $2 million to purchase the site of the nightclub, will cover the majority of the remaining costs. The city also plans to acquire adjacent property this summer to provide parking for the memorial.
The County’s $5 million contribution will be distributed over a three-year period. State law prevents the use of Tourist Development Tax dollars for such a project, as memorials do not qualify under current funding rules.
Members of the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee, many of whom have worked closely with survivors and victims’ families, were visibly emotional after the vote. “This is a step forward towards creating a memorial that is fitting for the 49 that we lost,” said committee member Nancy Rosado, a counselor who supported survivors and grieving families in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings expressed the board’s strong support for the initiative. “It’s time that there is a memorial. It’s time,” he said during the meeting.
The proposed memorial will include a reflecting pool and a private area for quiet remembrance. It is scheduled to open in 2027.
The original Pulse nightclub structure will not be preserved. However, the city plans to give survivors and victims’ families a chance to visit the site privately before demolition begins.
Final funding agreements between the city and county are expected to be completed later this summer.
City Commissioner Patty Sheehan voiced confidence in the partnership, saying, “I have absolutely no doubt that we will do the right thing, in conjunction with the county, and we will build a memorial that the county and the city can be proud of.”
During Tuesday’s session, commissioners also raised concerns about financial transparency, referencing the now-defunct OnePulse Foundation. The organization, which dissolved in 2023, had previously sought to construct a museum and memorial but was unable to secure sufficient funding to follow through on its plans.
