Pulse Nightclub Demolished to Build Memorial for 2016 Mass Shooting

The $12 million permanent memorial is slated to open in 2027 on the site of the deadly attack.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 2:29am

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Crews have begun demolishing the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida to make way for a $12 million permanent memorial honoring the 49 people killed in the 2016 mass shooting at the LGBTQ-friendly venue. The city purchased the property in 2023 after a previous attempt by a foundation to acquire the site fell through. The memorial is scheduled to open in 2027, nearly a decade after the deadly attack.

Why it matters

The Pulse nightclub shooting was one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history, targeting the LGBTQ+ community. The memorial aims to pay tribute to the victims and serve as a place of healing, though the project comes amid ongoing political battles over LGBTQ+ monuments and memorials.

The details

Construction workers have begun tearing down the walls of the long-shuttered Pulse nightclub, which still bore bullet holes from the 2016 attack. The city of Orlando purchased the property in 2023 for $2 million and plans to build the $12 million permanent memorial that will open in 2027. This follows a previous failed attempt by a foundation run by the club's former owner to acquire the site.

  • The Pulse nightclub shooting occurred on June 12, 2016.
  • The city of Orlando purchased the Pulse property in 2023 for $2 million.
  • Demolition of the Pulse nightclub began on March 11, 2026.
  • The permanent memorial is slated to open in the Fall of 2027.

The players

City of Orlando

The local government that purchased the Pulse nightclub property in 2023 and is overseeing the development of the $12 million permanent memorial.

Pulse Nightclub

The LGBTQ-friendly nightclub in Orlando where a mass shooting occurred in 2016, killing 49 people.

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What they’re saying

“The sign for the Pulse nightclub is removed by workers, Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at the memorial site of the 2016 mass shooting in Orlando, Fla., that killed 49. The sign will be preserved and displayed at the permanent memorial, slated to open in Fall of 2027.”

— Joe Burbank, Photographer

What’s next

The permanent memorial is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2027, nearly a decade after the deadly Pulse nightclub shooting.

The takeaway

The demolition of the Pulse nightclub and construction of a $12 million memorial is a significant step in honoring the victims of one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history. However, the project comes amid ongoing political battles over LGBTQ+ monuments, underscoring the complex and sensitive nature of this memorial.