Orlando demolished Pulse nightclub on March 18, 2026, to build a memorial honoring the 49 victims of the 2016 mass shooting.

Orlando began demolishing the Pulse nightclub on March 18, 2026, nearly 10 years after a mass shooting on June 12, 2016, killed 49 people. The controlled demolition cleared the site for a permanent memorial, with crews removing the main building and adjacent structures. The iconic Pulse sign was dismantled and preserved in a climate-controlled warehouse for use in the memorial. The project, funded at $12 million, aims to complete the memorial by fall 2027 and includes features like a reflecting pool, seating areas, and engraved names of victims. Officials and survivors have expressed mixed emotions, acknowledging the symbolic significance of the site’s transformation into a lasting tribute to healing and remembrance.