(Photo via City of Orlando)
ORLANDO | The Orlando City Council will be meeting on Oct. 12 to approve the Pulse Memorial construction contract with Gomez Construction Company.
Approval of the construction plans marks the transition of the memorial from the design to the construction stage. The memorial was designed by the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee, comprised of 18 survivors and family members of victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting. The committee spent late 2024 and early 2025 designing the memorial layout.
The Gomez Construction Company announced a Guaranteed Maximum Price of $12,624,837 for construction. The City of Orlando announced $1.75 million in financial support that will be distributed amongst Pulse survivors, family members and the City of Orlando.
Donations for the $1.7 million come from DeVos Family Foundation, Dr. Phillips Charities, Orlando Health, Universal Destinations & Experiences, Wilf Family Foundations and Walt Disney World Resort.
“These commitments represent more than financial support for the Pulse Memorial. They reflect the extraordinary spirit of collaboration that emerged in Orlando following June 12, 2016, and the continued commitment of community partners to honoring the 49 angels, supporting survivors and families, and carrying forward the spirit of #OrlandoUnited,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.
A new addition to the Memorial was announced as well. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Sonnet to Orlando” will be incorporated into the Survivor Wall of the Memorial. The “Sonnet to Orlando” is a poem Miranda shared at the 2016 Tony Awards, which were dedicated to the Pulse tragedy.
Construction of the Memorial is expected to start this fall, with the Memorial’s completion at the end of 2027. The Pulse Memorial will stand at the site of Pulse. The original Pulse demolition was completed in March 2026.
“Dr. Phillips Charities has been part of the Central Florida community for generations, and we believe deeply in supporting the people and places that make our community stronger,” Ken Robinson, President & CEO, Dr. Phillips Charities, said. “The Pulse tragedy forever changed Orlando, and we are honored to contribute to a permanent memorial that will remember the 49 lives lost, honor the survivors and first responders, and provide a place for reflection, healing and hope. We are proud to stand with our community in helping ensure that the legacy of Pulse, and the extraordinary compassion and unity Orlando showed in its aftermath, is never forgotten.”
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