Pulse memorial controversy: onePulse Foundation's obstacles explained | FOX 51 Gainesville

Pulse memorial controversy: onePulse Foundation's obstacles explained

Credit: Orange County Government, Community Coalition Against a Pulse Museum and Florida Department of State Division of Corporations.

It has been 9 years since the tragic Pulse nightclub shooting that took the lives of 49 people. 

Since then, there have been a number of controversies surrounding the memorial site and onePulse Foundation. Here's what we know about the obstacles.

What was the onePulse Foundation?

What we know:

The onePulse Foundation was founded by Barbara Poma, the owner of Pulse nightclub, in 2017. 

Poma described the fondation as a "community-driven effort intended to ultimately support the construction and maintenance of a permanent memorial, community grants to care for the survivors and victims’ families, endowed scholarships for each of the 49 angles, and eventually a museum."

In 2018, the onePulse Foundation was awarded up to $10 million in hotel-tax revenues by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners to help purchase land and create a design for the museum. The foundation then received a $500,000 Cultural Facilities Grant from the Florida Department of State in 2019, which came with specific restrictions on how the funds could be used. The following year, a separate $680,000 grant was awarded without those limitations.

The onePulse Foundation shut down at the end of 2023, following a number of controversies. 

What were the controversies surrounding the onePulse Foundation?

Dig deeper:

Financial concerns: The foundation raised nearly $20 million in public and private donations, but never built the memorial. Millions went toward land purchases, executive salaries and design costs, prompting concerns over spending.

Lack of transparency: Survivors and victim families called for audits and investigations into the foundation’s finances, especially after reports of questionable use of public and federal grant funds.

Leadership conflicts: Poma’s dual role as club owner and CEO created conflicts of interest. She was removed from leadership in 2021 and left the organization entirely in 2023.

Failed museum project: Plans for a $45–100 million museum were scrapped in 2023 after backlash over its commercial nature and rising costs. Critics said it risked turning the tragedy into a spectacle.

Public distrust and shutdown: Survivors accused the foundation of profiting off the tragedy. The nonprofit dissolved by the end of 2023, and the City of Orlando is now leading a new memorial effort.

Violated Property Use Agreement: Orange County officials say the onePULSE Foundation breached its property use agreement by entering into three unauthorized lease deals with the Nassal Company, a specialty contractor company. The deals made with the company involved tourist development tax funds generated from local hotel and rental stays.

Read the full cease-and-desist letter below:

What happened on June 12, 2016?

The backstory:

On June 12, 2016, 29-year-old Omar Mateen shot and killed 49 people and wounded another 53 at the gay nightclub located in the SoDo district (south downtown) of Orlando.

According to officials, in the 911 call Mateen made shortly after the shooting began, he swore his allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State, claiming the shooting was caused due to the United States' relationships with Iraq and Syria.

The FBI deemed the shooting a terrorist attack, making it the deadliest terrorist attack in the United States since the Sept. 11 attacks. 

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The Source: This story was written based on information gathered from previous reporting, the City of Orlando, the Orange County Commission and the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee.

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