raidermatt
Be water, my friend.
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2000
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Sorry if this was posted before, but I just saw it on another site and don't remember it being brought up here.
I also read another article that reports that Disney was offered the option for having two trains, one direct to WDW, one with the stops. Reportedly, Disney said no (supposedly Disney was told they could even name the express train and put ears on it). A fourth option is to just leave Disney out of the picture, but that wouldn't be good for either Disney or the State.
1- Direct from Airport to Disney. No other stops.
2- Stop(s) at or near convention center, Universal, etc.
3- Two trains, one direct to WDW, one with stops.
4- No Disney stop.
What do you think?
AP Article
Reports: Florida fast trains could draw nearly 2.3 million a year
MIKE BRANOM
Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. - A bullet train linking Tampa and Orlando could attract nearly 2.3 million passengers a year in 2010, according to two evaluations released Wednesday by the Florida High Speed Rail Authority.
But the ridership studies also show that Walt Disney World's desire to protect its interests by being directly connected to Orlando International Airport, with no stops in between, could jeopardize a more lucrative route connecting the airport with the Orange County Convention Center and the International Drive tourist district.
"They (Disney officials) are bullies about this stuff," authority member Bill Dunn said. "I'd like to find a way to prevent them from controlling this process. I don't want to beat them; I just don't want them to control it."
High-speed rail was voted into the state constitution two years ago. The first planned leg, running from Tampa to Orlando, has a cost estimate of about $1.5 billion.
If the route from the airport runs along the Bee Line Expressway to the convention center and Disney, then on to Tampa, one study says, it would draw an annual ridership of 1.93 million to 2.27 million. Projected revenues range from $32.9 million to $35.4 million.
A Disney-direct path bypassing the convention center, laid parallel to the Central Florida GreeneWay south of the airport, would have an annual ridership of 1.66 million to 1.9 million with revenues ranging from $27.9 million to $29.7 million.
The studies prove that any high-speed rail line should include a stop at the convention center, which is eight miles from the airport, said Orange County Chairman Richard Crotty.
"That's what we've been saying all along," he said.
Disney has repeatedly said that it will only support a route that connects its property directly to the airport, 19 miles away, with no intermediate stops.
"We believe the GreeneWay route is the right use of this technology, and the data contained in this study confirms it is also the most economically feasible by a wide margin," Disney spokesman Bill Warren said.
Warren said a route avoiding the convention center would be faster while still allowing a light-rail system to connect the airport, International Drive and Disney.
Asked Crotty, "That sounds good, but who's going pay for (light rail)?"
Disney has threatened to keep an estimated 2.2 million "captive market" riders - visitors whose transportation to the resort are provided as part of their package tours - away from the bullet train without a direct route.
The projected revenue coming from those riders is $26.3 million a year.
"It would not be an improvement for our guests, nor would it serve the needs of our employees," Warren said of the Bee Line alignment.
In contrast to Disney's draw, the study shows the convention center would have only about 530,000 captive market riders a year, producing an annual revenue of $6.4 million.
"But it doesn't make sense to skip either one," Dunn said. He added that he believes the convention center has more long-term growth potential than Disney.
If Disney only allows its captive riders on the GreeneWay alignment, that route would seize an annual advantage over the Bee Line (counting the convention center's captive market) of as much as 1.38 million passengers and $14.9 million in revenue.
"If you got to pick one or the other, this would suggest that you pick Disney," said Skip Fowler, another member of the authority.
Said Warren: "The GreeneWay route is projected to produce approximately 35 percent more in annual revenues than the Bee Line in the year 2010 forecast."
In 1989, Disney killed a Japanese-backed magnetic-levitation train from the airport by withholding its support because the 300-mph vehicle would've also stopped on International Drive.
It isn't yet up to the authority to negotiate a compromise, said Nazih Haddad of the Florida Department of Transportation. Instead, the authority will wait for the private companies interested in operating the line to address the issue when they respond to the state's official document telling how and where they want the train line built.
Bids are due in February.
Haddad also said the studies showed that the ridership and revenue projections appear to be sufficient to cover the route's operating and maintenance costs. In January, the authority estimated these costs at between $26 and $36 million annually.
The studies were conducted by AECOM Consulting Transportation Group and AECOM Consulting Transportation Group.
I also read another article that reports that Disney was offered the option for having two trains, one direct to WDW, one with the stops. Reportedly, Disney said no (supposedly Disney was told they could even name the express train and put ears on it). A fourth option is to just leave Disney out of the picture, but that wouldn't be good for either Disney or the State.
1- Direct from Airport to Disney. No other stops.
2- Stop(s) at or near convention center, Universal, etc.
3- Two trains, one direct to WDW, one with stops.
4- No Disney stop.
What do you think?
AP Article
Reports: Florida fast trains could draw nearly 2.3 million a year
MIKE BRANOM
Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. - A bullet train linking Tampa and Orlando could attract nearly 2.3 million passengers a year in 2010, according to two evaluations released Wednesday by the Florida High Speed Rail Authority.
But the ridership studies also show that Walt Disney World's desire to protect its interests by being directly connected to Orlando International Airport, with no stops in between, could jeopardize a more lucrative route connecting the airport with the Orange County Convention Center and the International Drive tourist district.
"They (Disney officials) are bullies about this stuff," authority member Bill Dunn said. "I'd like to find a way to prevent them from controlling this process. I don't want to beat them; I just don't want them to control it."
High-speed rail was voted into the state constitution two years ago. The first planned leg, running from Tampa to Orlando, has a cost estimate of about $1.5 billion.
If the route from the airport runs along the Bee Line Expressway to the convention center and Disney, then on to Tampa, one study says, it would draw an annual ridership of 1.93 million to 2.27 million. Projected revenues range from $32.9 million to $35.4 million.
A Disney-direct path bypassing the convention center, laid parallel to the Central Florida GreeneWay south of the airport, would have an annual ridership of 1.66 million to 1.9 million with revenues ranging from $27.9 million to $29.7 million.
The studies prove that any high-speed rail line should include a stop at the convention center, which is eight miles from the airport, said Orange County Chairman Richard Crotty.
"That's what we've been saying all along," he said.
Disney has repeatedly said that it will only support a route that connects its property directly to the airport, 19 miles away, with no intermediate stops.
"We believe the GreeneWay route is the right use of this technology, and the data contained in this study confirms it is also the most economically feasible by a wide margin," Disney spokesman Bill Warren said.
Warren said a route avoiding the convention center would be faster while still allowing a light-rail system to connect the airport, International Drive and Disney.
Asked Crotty, "That sounds good, but who's going pay for (light rail)?"
Disney has threatened to keep an estimated 2.2 million "captive market" riders - visitors whose transportation to the resort are provided as part of their package tours - away from the bullet train without a direct route.
The projected revenue coming from those riders is $26.3 million a year.
"It would not be an improvement for our guests, nor would it serve the needs of our employees," Warren said of the Bee Line alignment.
In contrast to Disney's draw, the study shows the convention center would have only about 530,000 captive market riders a year, producing an annual revenue of $6.4 million.
"But it doesn't make sense to skip either one," Dunn said. He added that he believes the convention center has more long-term growth potential than Disney.
If Disney only allows its captive riders on the GreeneWay alignment, that route would seize an annual advantage over the Bee Line (counting the convention center's captive market) of as much as 1.38 million passengers and $14.9 million in revenue.
"If you got to pick one or the other, this would suggest that you pick Disney," said Skip Fowler, another member of the authority.
Said Warren: "The GreeneWay route is projected to produce approximately 35 percent more in annual revenues than the Bee Line in the year 2010 forecast."
In 1989, Disney killed a Japanese-backed magnetic-levitation train from the airport by withholding its support because the 300-mph vehicle would've also stopped on International Drive.
It isn't yet up to the authority to negotiate a compromise, said Nazih Haddad of the Florida Department of Transportation. Instead, the authority will wait for the private companies interested in operating the line to address the issue when they respond to the state's official document telling how and where they want the train line built.
Bids are due in February.
Haddad also said the studies showed that the ridership and revenue projections appear to be sufficient to cover the route's operating and maintenance costs. In January, the authority estimated these costs at between $26 and $36 million annually.
The studies were conducted by AECOM Consulting Transportation Group and AECOM Consulting Transportation Group.
Dznefreek & JimB.: Exactly! The millionare that started the whole thing missled everyone. He is one of those that will profit from the train at the expense of the poor slob of a taxpayer {such as myself} Just like the classroom size debate. We were misslead on that one also, and it's going to cost us dearly.
