Orlando Plans to Buy Pulse Nightclub and Turn it into Memorial

In June, a gunman opened fire inside an Orlando nightclub, leaving 49 dead and 53 injured.

Since then, the owner of the club, has announced that the city of Orlando plans buy Pulse nightclub and turn it into a memorial for the victims. Initially, Barbara Poma didn’t want to give up the club, CNN reports, as it meant a lot to her brother, who died of AIDS in 1991. In 2004, Poma opened the club to “keep her brother’s spirit alive,” as she named it after his heartbeat, reports state.

However, after the nation’s worst mass shooting occurred at the club in June, Poma decided it was time for a change. On Tuesday, Poma revealed, the best way to preserve the club’s legacy was to turn it over to the city.

“Never could I have imagined that the building we built as Pulse Nightclub would not be a part of my daily life. Pulse was a huge part of my heart, my soul and my family,” Poma said in a statement. “As difficult as it is form me to part with Pulse, this transaction ensures that what has become a sacred site will be properly memorialized for generations to come.”

On Monday, the City Council will vote on the purchase of the club. The vote will decide whether or not to approve the $2.25 million transaction, reports state.

“The memories of those who were taken or were harmed, and legacy of Pulse Nightclub and why it was established, will be preserved forever,” she said. “Since the day of this terrible tragedy, my commitment has been that the heart of Pulse Nightclub keep beating and now we can all be assured that will happen.”

The Mayor also commented on the plans of the purchase, declaring the location to be a permanent part of the city’s history.

“It’s the site of the most tragic event that has ever occurred in the city of Orlando,” he said in a statement “We want our entire community to be a part  of this site. With the city owning the property, we can engage in a public process to determine the future of the Pulse property and building.”