ORLANDO, Fla. — Nearly 10 years after the Pulse terror shootings, Orlando leaders continue to shape the legacy the Pulse Memorial will create for the 49 people who lost their lives.
It was the deadliest mass terror shooting in American history at the time. The lone shooter left 49 people dead and dozens wounded inside the Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016. It was also the deadliest violence against the LGBT+ community in American history. The suspect, Omar Mateen, was fatally shot by authorities.
After years of delays and controversy marred the future of a permanent Pulse Memorial, the work is now in the hands of Orlando officials and community leaders to find the best way to honor 49 angels and the loved ones their lives touched.
Design and construction teams are offering new updates. Renderings show an Angel Ellipse that will form an outer ring around the memorial to honor each of the 49 individuals.
There will be a quiet gathering space for reflection surrounded by stained glass windows. The Survivor’s Common will include grass and a tree.
The Memorial Plaza will feature a reflecting pool where the club’s dance floor was.
“There are a number of spaces that all have a different feel, all have a different function,” said Jorge Borrelli, the project’s principal designer for Borrelli + Partners. “It allows you to be in the midst of all the emotions or step out of it.”
Leaders also unveiled what guests will see inside the Visitor Pavilion. The club’s crystal ball will be on display, along with a chandelier, photos, artwork and other items from the former nightclub.
“I think it’s a great, tasteful memorial,” said Mayra Alvear, who lost her daughter Amanda Alvear in the shooting.
Alvear added that the memorial has to remind visitors who all 49 individuals were.
“They deserve to be known. Not just a name, and you know, doing it with action,” she said.
Some families are frustrated nearly 10 years after the tragedy. The onePulse Foundation scrapped the original memorial design and later dissolved in 2023. The Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee took over the project in 2024.
Stephen Corrow with the Gomez Construction Company said the project is moving forward.
“We’re aligning subcontractors. We’re looking at long-term solicitations. We’re prepared to start building this thing in September,” Corrow said.
City officials said the memorial’s initial budget is $12 million, and they will know the final price by September.
“In the next two years, you will see a memorial complete,” Borrelli said.
“This is all about love, about strength, about unity, about coming together, and that’s what we should be all about,” Alvear said.
The city of Orlando is investing $7.5 million to build the memorial. Orange County is giving $5 million, and the state of Florida is providing $400,000.