Pulse Memorial update: Orlando starts new committee to help design, build tribute

ORLANDO, Fla. - Just days before the Pulse Nightclub shooting anniversary, the City of Orlando announced the creation of the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee to help design the future memorial.

It comes after OnePulse, a private organization which had ambitious plans to build a memorial and museum following the June 2016 shooting massacre at Pulse Nightclub, gathered millions of dollars over the years towards the project, but never could bring it to fruition.

The City of Orlando recently purchased the Pulse Nightclub property for $2 million. However, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said of the millions that OnePulse raised, none of it is left. Essentially, the city will have to start fundraising from scratch.

The newly-formed committee is made up of family members, survivors, and other stakeholders who will be tasked with designing the future memorial.

The city engaged Dr. Larry Schooler and Joaquin Guerra to help make the creation of the memorial a collaborative process. 

The committee will consist of 10-15 members with various perspectives, and officials hope to include several survivors and family members of victims in the project. 

As far as the selection process, three to four members of the Orlando community will serve as advisors and provide recommendations to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, who will make the final decision in the selection process. 

By early July, the committee should be chosen and members are expected to attend monthly meetings that will be open to the public. 

Mayer Dyer said there's no money left over after OnePulse spent millions of dollars on consultants and scholarships over the last eight years.

Facing escalating construction costs made the "project financially unrealistic to complete," the foundation said. 

Although the museum will not be built, the city of Orlando did purchase the Pulse Nightclub property for $2 million. 

This year's anniversary includes events such as the Annual Remembrance Ceremony, and the CommUNITY Rainbow Run. The annual ceremony will be held on June 12 at 6 p.m. at the Dr. Phillips Center. The ceremony will be preceded by the Ringing of the 49 Bells at First United Methodist Church Orlando.  

The 8th annual Rainbow Run will be on Saturday, June 8 beginning at City Hall Plaza. Net proceeds from the 4.9k run will benefit the the new Orlando United Pulse Memorial fund, a project within the City of Orlando’s existing 501(c)(3) nonprofit Strengthen Orlando, to construct a permanent memorial at the Pulse site, which was recently acquired by the City of Orlando.

Applications to join the advisory committee are open now and will close in two weeks.