Universal Orlando proposes building commuter train station connecting to Brightline, Orlando airport
Artist rendering of a proposed SunRail station at the Orange County Convention Center. (Courtesy: Orlando's Right Rail/Universal Orlando)
ORLANDO, Fla. - Universal Orlando Resort on Thursday filed paperwork and pledged 13 acres for a commuter rail station that could link the seventh-busiest airport in the U.S. with the heart of the tourism district in one of the top travel destinations in the world.
Universal filed an application with Orange County, Florida to form a quasi-governmental body that will plan, finance, construct, operate, own and maintain a new SunRail station located at the Orange County Convention Center. Once completed — possibly as soon as 2030 — the line would connect the main corridor of Orlando's tourism industry with Orlando International Airport.
The current SunRail route doesn't have any stops at the airport or in Orlando's tourism district.
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The new line also will connect residents and visitors to Brightline, the privately run intercity rail line currently serving Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach for now. It is coming to Orlando International Airport later this year.
Brightline said it further plans to extend its service to Tampa, though the timeline is unclear. On the company's website, a Tampa station is listed as a "future expansion." The final leg linking Orlando to Tampa would connect 70% of the Sunshine State’s population.
In Orlando Right Rail's plans, the Sunshine Corridor's west phase includes completing 67 miles of track improvements to support Brightline's rail service. The line begins at the International Drive station and continues southwest down the I-4 corrido
In June 2022, the federal government announced a $15.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help fund Brightline's expansion to Tampa. The company said it would match those funds, totaling $31.7 million to be used for preliminary engineering costs of the train route between Orlando and Tampa.
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"Our plans to expand to Tampa will create jobs and generate economic impact," a Brightline spokesperson wrote in a statement emailed to FOX 13 back in 2021. "Our priority is to build meaningful connections to the state’s most populated regions."
"We are one step closer to creating a multi-directional commuter rail system that benefits our entire region," said John Sprouls, chief administrative officer at Universal Parks & Resorts.
Universal's announcement comes months after Brightline announced it was no longer planning to add a train station at Disney Springs.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.