Brightline Gets DOT's Go-Ahead To Lease Land For High-Speed Rail

TAMPA, FL -- Tampa is one step closer to getting high-speed rail.

The Florida Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that it has signed a leasing contract with Brightline for rights of way to construct and operate a high-speed rail line from Tampa to Orlando.

Brightline will have 90 days to lease property from the DOT and the Central Florida Expressway Authority for the intercity passenger rail service.

The DOT wasn't given much of a choice in its selection of a company to construct and operate the rail service. Earlier this month, the DOT reported that it had received just one proposal during its call-out advertised on June 22.

However, on Nov. 16, Miami-based Brightline received a financial infusion for the project when billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson announced that his Virgin Group would partner with Brightline on the project and the new rail service would carry the name Virgin Trains USA.

Brightline already provides a privately operated high-speed rail service between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach and plans to begin construction next year on a rail line connecting Las Vegas to Southern California.

“Our private sector-led effort to reinvent passenger rail service in America is taking another leap forward with the addition of the Virgin team,” said Wes Edens, chairman of Brightline and co-founder of Fortress Investment Group. “Virgin has built a respected and trusted brand in travel and hospitality. With our shared focus on customer experience, powered by a culture of innovation and disruption, we are well positioned to build on our success.”

Although best known for its focus on air and space travel, the Virgin Group also has experience with high-speed rail, having run Great Britain's West Coast Main Line for 21 years.

“We have had a lot of fun and success creating innovative transport businesses that shake up markets and establish loyal followings," said Branson. "We transformed domestic air travel with Virgin America. Tens of millions of Americans travel on the railways every day, and we have tried for over a decade to find an opportunity to provide them with that same excellent service experience. Brightline is at the forefront of innovation in this market, and the ideal partner for Virgin to work with to alter perceptions and traveling habits across the United States.”

Branson will be a minority investor in the project. Brightline will retain majority ownership and will oversee the daily operations of the rail line.

“Given our shared values and Virgin's track record, this partnership will help amplify our efforts and growth potential as we seek to expand to new markets," said Patrick Goddard, president of Brightline.

Brightline expects the total cost of the project to be about $1.7 billion. The rail line will include all of the bells and whistles that distinguish all of Branson's travel and leisure enterprises, including roomy leather seats, free WiFi, spacious restrooms with scented hand towels and the availability of food and drinks while traveling at speeds of 125 mph.

The rail line will include stations in downtown Tampa, Orlando and possibly Lakeland.

Brightline is looking at building its Tampa station on the site of the old Morgan Street jail, Tampa Union Station and near the proposed site of the new Tampa Bay Rays stadium in Ybor City.

The trip between Tampa and Orlando is expected to take about an hour. Although there is no fixed ticket price yet, Brightline said the trip by rail will cost about $73 and will be 25 percent less expensive than driving and 80 percent less expensive than flying.

Brightline expects 2.9 million passengers to use the rail line each year. There's no timeline for the new rail line yet. Brightline expects to have its Miami-Orlando line completed in three years.

Images Virgin Rail, Brightline

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