Two companies announced an important first step in the creation of a new SunRail expansion that will connect the Orlando International Airport to International Drive.
On Thursday, Orlando’s Right Rail coalition and Universal Orlando Resort announced the creation of the Shingle Creek Transit Utility Community Development District.
The new, limited-purpose public entity will “plan, finance, construct, operate, own and maintain a new Orange County Convention Center SunRail station,” according to a statement issued by Universal Orlando Resort.
The program will create a commuter rail line between the Orlando International Airport and the Orange County Convention Center and, when complete, will provide regional connectivity for more than 100,000 residents working in the International Drive area. The new corridor will also connect residents and visitors to Brightline, a privately run, intercity rail line currently serving Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, with a planned expansion into the Orlando International Airport later this year.
“We are one step closer to creating a multi-directional commuter rail system that benefits our entire region,” said John Sprouls, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, Universal Parks & Resorts. “The new SunRail corridor and convention center station will make it easier for residents to get to work, the airport and to the places they love. And it will enable business growth within the International Drive area and across the region.”
According to the organizations, the new Orange County Convention Center station is projected to more than double SunRail’s annual ridership and revenue.
“We’ve known for years that connectivity between the airport and International Drive area will be essential to our entire region’s future,” said Maria Triscari, President of the International Drive Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors Orlando’s Right Rail. “This new station is great news for our entire community.”
The Orlando Right Rail is a coalition that advocates for a regional, mass transit plan and supports the Sunshine Corridor Program.
“The Sunshine Corridor is critical to moving our workforce. Creating a transportation network that connects our workers to their jobs, our residents to our airport, and allows our visitors to have options when they travel is essential,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Chairman for the Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission.
Universal is pledging 13 acres of land to the District to be used for the convention center station with inter-modal capability and a substantial section of rail corridor. The company also plans to support the operation and maintenance of the station for $2 million annually.