QuoteBrightline Florida plans to issue $400 million in bonds to extend its high-speed train service between Orlando and Tampa.
By Martin E. Comas
Brightline Florida is rolling forward with plans to extend its high-speed rail service from the Orlando International Airport to Tampa by seeking to borrow up to $400 million to help fund the first phase of the project.
Since September 2023, Brightline has run daily trains — with coach cars seating up to 60 — between Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando. Riders zip through undeveloped ranchland and preserved properties east of Orlando at speeds of up to 125 mph before slowing down to about 80 mph in South Florida on the way to downtown Miami.
A current end-to-end trip between Orlando and Miami on a Brightline train is about 3 hours and 30 minutes. Brightline spent $6 billion in private funds to lay or upgrade 233 miles of tracks between Orlando and Miami, along with building stations, and manufacturing 10 trains.
Brightline's long-range goal is to expand to Tampa mostly along the Interstate 4 corridor, bringing the entire length of the route from South Florida to roughly 320 miles.
A train trip between the Orlando airport and downtown Tampa would take about an hour, according to Brightline. By comparison, a trip by car along I-4 currently takes nearly two hours.
"Connecting to Tampa means extending the system to the next biggest population center in Florida not presently served and will bring approximately 75% of the state's population into proximity to a Brightline station," Ashley Blasewitz, a company spokeswoman, said in an email Friday.
According to a notice on the website for the Florida Development Finance Corporation in Winter Springs, Brightline would use the $400 million in bonds to pay for the "design, development, acquisition, construction" of the rail system toward Tampa.
A total cost for the extension to Tampa, or when it will be completed, has not yet been determined.
The Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization is currently studying a downtown location for Tampa's Brightline station.
The Florida Development Finance Corporation will hold a public meeting by telephone conference at 2 p.m. on Thursday.
Those calling in will be able to hear information and express their comments on the bond issuance. For more information on the teleconference and how to join, visit www.fdfcbonds.com/notices
Full article: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/07/11/brightline-seeks-400m-to-kick-off-plans-for-orlando-to-tampa-route/?utm_email=A44504A49461D54654F9B593FB&lctg=A44504A49461D54654F9B593FB&g2i_eui=5QLTK1xLbkF4c6ZK9pD7eSrHdfou2aZ51LwsS2J9Rk8%3d&g2i_source=newsletter&active=no&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=https%3a%2f%2fwww.orlandosentinel.com%2f2025%2f07%2f11%2fbrightline-seeks-400m-to-kick-off-plans-for-orlando-to-tampa-route%2f&utm_campaign=trib-orlando_sentinel-breaking_news-nl&utm_content=alert
It doesn't need to be said how much of a benefit providing an alternative to I-4 would have. Hopefully, one step closer to a connection to jax
Hmmm... $400 million for Brightline from Orlando to Tampa vs. $400 million for U2C. Wonder which makes more ROI sense? ;D
Quote from: urban_ on July 12, 2025, 05:39:12 PM
It doesn't need to be said how much of a benefit providing an alternative to I-4 would have. Hopefully, one step closer to a connection to jax
yes! It's very encouraging news.
Quote from: jaxlongtimer on July 13, 2025, 03:11:46 PM
Hmmm... $400 million for Brightline from Orlando to Tampa
Note that Brightline to Tampa will cost far more than $400 million. Also of note is that Brightline told bondholders last week it will be late on payment. Can't imagine that's going to make floating the new bonds easier.
Quote from: tufsu1 on July 15, 2025, 10:02:21 AM
Quote from: jaxlongtimer on July 13, 2025, 03:11:46 PM
Hmmm... $400 million for Brightline from Orlando to Tampa
Note that Brightline to Tampa will cost far more than $400 million. Also of note is that Brightline told bondholders last week it will be late on payment. Can't imagine that's going to make floating the new bonds easier.
And... U2C will also likely cost far more than $400 million ;D. That said, I realize the Tampa run will be far more but I was thinking the down payment on that project was a better use of $400 million than the same down payment on U2C.
Interesting that Brightline is late on a payment... any reason given for that? Any updated disclosure of their financial condition?
^ they are struggling financially - and ridership has been an issue
https://www.wlrn.org/light/business/2025-07-16/brightline-ridership-equity-bonds-sale#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWe're%20targeting%20a%20significant,was%20up%2017%25%20in%20June.
Expect struggles to continue. With all that's been going on politically lately, its not having the best impact on tourism....which Brightline relies on for those high fares.
I thought Brightline was also a real estate play, that is they would make money on building out and around their stations (e.g. TOD). On that basis, the RR wouldn't have so much pressure to produce income if the real estate made up for that and more. Seems the RR is on its own to make money at this point. So, who is making the dollars on the real estate? A separate corporation also controlled by Fortress?