Survivors and families of victims of the Pulse nightclub massacre had hoped to have a permanent memorial in place for the eighth anniversary of the attack. However, due to a failed effort by a private foundation, new plans are now being developed. The city of Orlando purchased the nightclub property for $2 million last year and has outlined more modest plans for a memorial, abandoning the original idea of a museum. City leaders have formed an advisory board to determine the memorial's design, aiming for completion by 2028.
The tragic event occurred on June 12, 2016, when a lone gunman killed 49 people at the gay-friendly club. Efforts to build a memorial had faced challenges since the massacre, with the original project by the onePulse Foundation calling for a $45 million museum and memorial, which later escalated to $100 million, exceeding the nonprofit's fundraising capabilities.
