Published
Thu, Oct 26, 2023, 17:15
- The property has been bought by the City of Orlando.
Florida nightclub Pulse—which was the site of a homophobic mass shooting in 2016—has been bought by the City of Orlando.
On Monday, October 23rd, the city's commissioners unanimously voted to purchase the building. Several years ago, Barbara Poma, Pulse's owner, declined to sell the property to the city for $2.2 million and instead decided to fundraise via her charity fund, onePULSE Foundation. However, Poma stepped down from her position at the organisation last April.
"We're thankful to the City of Orlando for ensuring that the National Pulse Memorial will be located at the Pulse nightclub site," said onePULSE executive director Deborah Bowie in a statement sent to Resident Advisor. "[It] 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."
Poma also released a statement to several news sites. Here's a chunk of it. "We're grateful to Mayor Dyer and the City Commission for making this a reality," she said. "June 12th, 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."
In addition to the 49 fatalities, the shooting left 53 people wounded. The venue was previously billed as Orlando's premiere gay nightclub. Shortly after, Poma created the onePULSE foundation dedicated to installing a memorial at the site.
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