Orlando leaders discuss plan to purchase Pulse Nightclub property

ORLANDO, Fla. - After speaking with survivors and families of Pulse Nightclub shooting victims, Orlando’s city leaders said their move to buy the nightclub site gets things on the right track.

"We want to step back and decide what the best approach to ensure that in fact, we build that memorial in a way to honor the survivors and the families of the victims," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, "and make sure we get input from that same group as to what the best way to go about that is."

Dyer said the purchase would end seven years of hang-ups over what to do with the property. 

"Here we are, seven years later. We feel it's important to honor the victims and put to rest the idea that a memorial would either not be built, or it would be built in a different location."

City Commissioner Patty Sheehan represented that district. She said it was money well spent to finally get this project off the ground. 

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"This is not a vanity project, this is an honor project, and I think this is where it got out of whack. You can't lead with your ego when you're dealing with something like this, you have to lead with your heart."

Sheehan and Dyer agreed there had been serious problems with the way the memorial plans had been handled. 

"I think there has been a great deal of problematic behavior, and that's been part of the issue with moving forward," Sheehan said. The onePULSE Foundation said they looked forward to being a partner for those plans.

"I am absolutely disappointed that there is not more movement toward the actual construction of a memorial. My choice would have been to not focus on the museum, but to focus on the memorial," said Mayor Dyer.

Both leaders said their first priority would be getting the official work done to buy the site. After that, they would move forward with putting together plans for a proper memorial on the site. 

"I don't have a preconceived notion at this point what the memorial is going to look like," Dyer said, "but I can guarantee you it's going to be on that site."