Orlando begins demolition of Pulse nightclub, site of 2016 mass shooting that killed 49

"This was a sacred site to those who loved the 49 and anybody else that had visited Pulse. The club was welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community and a diverse range of other patrons, and the memorial would be a site of healing for a city that would never forget those who were killed."

"I remember that very vividly, getting the calls shortly after 2 o'clock and then being on site through the remainder of the morning. Just the sadness of it all. 49 lives extinguished that night for no reason at all."

"Our goal was to do a memorial, not to do a museum. Years of delays plagued original plans to preserve the site in some form and commemorate the victims, with one proposal including selling merchandise and charging admission."

The Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, where 49 people were killed in a 2016 mass shooting, began demolition on Wednesday after nearly a decade of disputes over the building's future. A $12 million permanent memorial will replace the structure, with final designs to be revealed in May and completion targeted for fall 2027. The memorial will include a reflection pool and private spaces honoring the victims, with additional details finalized through consultation with families. Mayor Buddy Dyer emphasized the site's sacred significance to the LGBTQ+ community and diverse patrons, expressing hope the memorial would facilitate healing. The shooting, perpetrated by Omar Mateen on June 12, 2016, was the nation's deadliest mass shooting at that time. Years of delays affected earlier preservation proposals, including one involving merchandise sales and admission fees.

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