Brightline announced plans to expand to Tampa Bay earlier this year, and now, the company is asking the Florida Finance Development Corporation (FDFC) to break the bank for Florida’s next train.
The privately-owned and operated intercity passenger railroad is asking for $400 million meant to cover the design, construction and renovations to the new train that will run from Tampa to Orlando in just one hour.
FDFC’s revenue comes from fees charged when it issues bonds, not from taxpayer dollars. According to the Business Journal, there is currently no state funding supporting Brightline’s expansion, but with this proposition, Brightline is hoping to get things moving.
As previously reported, Brightline already has stations in Orlando, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Downtown Tampa is among proposed new locations along with Lakeland, Disney/International Drive and Treasure Coast.
Related
Hillsborough wants feedback on bringing Brightline trains to Tampa
There’s currently a study to figure out where Tampa’s Brightline station should go, but it would initially connect to a hub near Orlando’s airport.
Even if the FDFC approves the bonds, state officials would have to approve them. And that’s before Florida’s Department of Transportation gets involved.
FDOT has many projects that are currently underway including a $146 million renovation in Manatee County that adds two new bridges over the Manatee river and $99 million in improvements to a 20.8-mile stretch of I-75 in Pasco County.
It is likely that the FDOT’s efforts will be put into finishing some of these larger projects before opening another can of worms.
Adding fuel to the fire is Brightline’s aspirations to build Brightline West— which would connect Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga (southern California)— ahead of the 2028 Olympics in Vegas.
According to TBBJ, in 2024 Brightline carried around 2.8 million passengers with commuters steadily increasing throughout the year.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor supports the addition of the train and recently told reporters “we need this in the Tampa Bay region yesterday.”
The Foundation for Economic Education says that it costs about $7.3 million per mile for Brightline to build track.
There will be a public hearing regarding the proposition on July 17.
Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.
Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky
This article appears in Jul 10-16, 2025.