The Orlando City Council postponed the vote to buy the Pulse nightclub on Monday.
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Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said the city council will postpone the vote to buy the Pulse nightclub. Instead, the council will ask the public to comment about the future of the site in December, Dyer said.
The proposed plan was to build a memorial at the site where 49 people were killed and more than 50 others were injured in the June terror and hate attack by shooter Omar Mateen.
“We have believed ever since June the 12th it was very important that we preserve that site and give us the ability to secure it as we do other city property,” Dyer said before the city council had its meeting on Monday.
The property, appraised before the shooting, was valued at $1,680,000, according to city documents.
Through negotiations with the owners, Dyer said the plan is for the city to purchase the site for $2,250,000.
“A memorial would be very, very suitable for here, be a place for people to come to pay their respects and a place where family and friends can come to feel close to their loved ones,” said Sherri Miller, who visited the nightclub on Friday.
Dyer had said the city will maintain the site "as is" for the next 12 to 18 months while it figures out what type of memorial will be built.
The Orlando City Council was expected to consider the deal at its Monday meeting at 2 p.m. at City Hall, but the decison to postponed came in around noon.