The city of Orlando will consider buying the Pulse Night Club next month, but not all city commissioners are on board with paying more for the property than the appraised value.

  • Tony Ortiz skeptical about buying Pulse for more than value
  • City wants to turn night club into a memorial
  • Deciding vote should come Dec. 12
  • PULSE ATTACK: Complete Coverage

"I don't see the justification behind this," said District 2 Orlando Commissioner Tony Ortiz.

Ortiz said he's not against the Pulse purchase, just the idea someone is possibly making money off the tragedy.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer held a special meeting with Commissioner Tony Ortiz inside the mayor's cabinet room Thursday afternoon.

The discussion centered around the preliminary agreement for city of Orlando to purchase the Pulse Night Club, so the site can be turned into a permanent memorial.

However, Commissioner Ortiz is concerned about paying $2.25 million for Pulse, which is more than $500,000 over the property's appraised value.

"I cannot justify the overprice, especially during the season we're about to enter," Commissioner Ortiz shared.

Commissioner Ortiz, who represents District 2 in east Orlando, wants the site to be more than a memorial.

"Counseling, legal services," Ortiz said. "If we can manage to accommodate some of these services in a building like this, where it can become a living memorial in addition to raising a monument over there for those who lost their lives so tragically."  

In an open meeting with District 4 Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan on Tuesday, Mayor Buddy Dyer said he was confident he has enough votes to approved the purchase at an upcoming city council meeting.

Council members like Samuel Ings have carefully weighed the now delayed decision. Ings said his support of the purchase at the agreed upon price is about preservation.

"I think it's about the historical value that's there and that's immeasurable. We can't put a number with that. We can't put a figure with that," said District 6 Orlando Commissioner Samuel Ings.

During the one-on-one meeting, Mayor Dyer told Commissioner Ortiz it's important the city control the property.

Dyer said the city got the best deal it could, explaining he doesn't consider it a real estate deal, saying  "in 10 years, the price we paid will be forgotten."

However, Ortiz still believes the Pulse owner shouldn't "profit" from the transaction.

"Still over a half million dollars that could be put to use in so many other things around our city," Ortiz said.

If approved, Mayor Dyer said at least one group has offered to build a memorial for free to remember the victims and survivors of the Pulse tragedy.

The deciding vote to purchase the Pulse site could take place on the six-month anniversary at the Dec. 12 city council meeting.