Orange County approves $10M in hotel taxes for Pulse memorial, museum

Oct. 31--Orange County commissioners gave final approval Tuesday to a request for $10 million in hotel taxes to build a permanent Pulse memorial and museum at the site of the gay nightclub where 49 people were massacred.

The support helps ensure "Pulse will never be erased," nightclub owner Barbara Poma said.

The money, which would be paid over three years, will help the nonprofit onePULSE Foundation buy land around the nightclub, south of Orlando Health System's downtown campus, and pay design, engineering and architectural costs.

Land must be acquired because the club property, about a third of an acre, is not large enough for a museum, which is an important part of the onePULSE plan.

"A memorial is to mourn, a museum is to learn," Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs said outside the commission chambers, where she was flanked by Poma.

"This will be a sacred space that will tell the story of Pulse and our 49 angels, while ensuring future generations learn from the detrimental impact of hate, bigotry, discrimination and intolerance," Jacobs said. "This museum sends a clear message that hate will not win and love will always prevail."

According to the foundation's proposal, the memorial and museum will be a place to grieve, reflect and learn about the attack on June 12, 2016, that was briefly the worst mass shooting in American history.

The foundation's funding request was one of two approved by commissioners Tuesday. The board also voted to give $4 million to help the Orlando Ballet build an auditorium.

Both projects sought a small share of money raised by the county's tourist development tax, a 6-percent levy added to the cost of short-term lodging at a hotel, resort or room-sharing rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO.

Through August 2018, the tax has brought in about $257 million, $22 million ahead of last year's pace.

Hotel-tax revenues have been used to finance the Orange County Convention Center, defray the cost of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, upgrade Camping World Stadium and fund Visit Orlando, the region's marketing arm.

Headed by Pulse owner Barbara Poma, onePULSE hopes to expand the nightclub footprint, adding land for the memorial/museum and for parking.

The death toll at Pulse was exceeded Oct. 1, 2017, when a gunman on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas rained more than 1,100 rounds onto a crowd of concertgoers at the Route 91 Harvest music festival, killing 58 people.

Last month, onePULSE's funding request was endorsed by the Tourist Development Tax Application Review Committee, which considered the proposal's likely return on investment, its organizational plan and ability to draw tourists.

The onePULSE Foundation will receive $4 million this year, $3 million in 2018-19 and $3 million in 2019-20.

According to details spelled out in county documents, the properties onePULSE proposes to buy with the tourist dollars must be within a half mile of Pulse and at least an acre in size.

The property sales price cannot be more than 10 percent higher than a county-approved appraisal.

Meanwhile, Orlando Ballet already broke ground this month in Loch Haven Cultural Park for Harriett's Orlando Ballet Centre in the southwest corner of the park, north of downtown at 610 N. Lake Formosa Drive.

The building, a permanent home for the ballet company, is expected to be completed next September.

The auditorium will bear the name of Harriett Lake, a longtime champion of the ballet who died in July and donated $7.5 million to the $12 million project.

"Harriett, bless her bones," said Susan Book, 71, who thanked the board. Book was accompanied by her 4-year-old great-granddaughter Abby, an aspiring ballerina.

The groundbreaking had a whimsical feel featuring not only government officials and dignitaries but shovel-wielding dainty dancers in tutus and tights wearing bright pink hardhats and bows, a nod to Lake and her eye-catching fashion sense.

The county gave the ballet $500,000 from its cultural facilities-grants program. The final $4 million is tourist development dollars recommended by the county's tax advisory committee.

According to a summary provided to commissioners, a thriving arts community can lure both area residents and cultural tourists.

"When attending a cultural event, attendees often eat dinner in local restaurants, pay for parking, buy gifts and souvenirs and pay a babysitter," the summary noted. "What's more, attendees from out of town often stay overnight in a local hotel. Serving as an economic driver, the annual economic impact of Orlando Ballet and its audiences is $8.9 million...and supports 274 full-time equivalent jobs."

shudak@orlandosentinel.com or 407-650-6361.

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