Following the deadly massacre at Pulse nightclub, where 49 lives were lost, rumors have swirled around the notion of a permanent memorial at the site of the shooting.

  • No plans for a permanent memorial at Pulse nightclub
  • Club remains closed following the attack that killed 49

Monday, Pulse nightclub released a statement, denying that such a memorial is in the works, at least for the time being:

“OOPS! Looks like we got the media’s pulse racing with an inadvertent Instagram posting that incorrectly stated the Pulse Nightclub was reopening as a memorial. As reported last week, the club remains closed for business but Ms. Poma’s desire is that someday a memorial be created at the site. The OnePulseFoundation was established to raise funds for victims of the June 12 tragedy as well as for a memorial. No monies have been collected at this time.” -- Sara Brady, Pulse spokesperson

However, some, including Ben Watts, visiting from England, hope that the memorial one day comes into fruition.

“I didn’t expect all this,” he said, gesturing to the memorial of flowers, signs and messages spread across the front of the nightclub. “All the support is crazy.”

With his friends by his side, Watts tacked a blue shirt with a colorful unicorn to the chain link fence that surrounds the closed club. He came to Central Florida for a Zumba convention, but said visiting Pulse was a necessary stop.

“It was one of the things like I have to do it. Not that I want to. I have to do it to show my respect,” he said.

He also feels that the actual site of the shooting would be the most apt for a memorial.

“You can feel the love and the passion. You can feel it inside you, this is where it needs to be for how many lives have been lost,” he said.

The OnePulseFoundation filed with the state to become a 501(c)3 charity, raising funds for victims, and for a memorial. Recent posts on Facebook and Instagram announced that the location would indeed become a permanent memorial, with some posts even soliciting donations.

While the statement from the foundation said that no money has been collected for the future permanent memorial, one Instagram post soliciting donations for the memorial specifically remains online.