This is a lengthy article from the Miami Herald that is well worth the time to read. Below are a couple of excerpts from the article. Click the link for the entire story.
"Scott said in June he believes a high-speed rail line from Orlando to Tampa is a good idea and, in a quiet testament to his confidence in the project, he and his wife last year invested at least $3 million in a credit fund for All Aboard Florida’s parent company, Fortress Investment Group, according to recently disclosed financial documents."
"Scott canceled a federally-financed high-speed rail project in February 2011, and sent the $2.4 billion in stimulus funds back to Washington.
The letter to the federal government rejecting the bullet train was drafted by Adam Hollingsworth, the member of Scott’s transition team who, records show, also vetted Scott’s candidates for secretary of Florida’s Department of Transportation. He would later go to work for a sister company of All Aboard Florida at FECI.
Scott’s transportation transition team recommended state investment in an “intercity rail project from Jacksonville to Miami on the Florida East Coast railroad tracks.” In May 2012, Hollingsworth, who had spent a decade at CSX transportation, become Scott’s chief of staff.
Prior to that, All Aboard Florida and its parent company had given $188,750 to Scott’s 2010 campaign and $25,000 to his inauguration. It also hired Hollingsworth to work at Parallel Infrastructure, a company owned by FECI. "
"Scott also met privately in January 2012 with FECI officials who sought his support — a meeting that was never disclosed on his calendar — after which his deputy chief of staff, Carrie O’Rourke, sent a text to Hollingsworth reporting that the meeting “went very well today” and “he is interested.”
From Florida Bulldog
"News of the two counties’ effort to vacate federal approval for the project bonds comes as an unaudited financial statement shows Brightline suffered a $28.2 million loss in the first quarter of 2018. Brightline also reported carrying nearly 75,000 total passengers and collecting $663,667 in ticket revenue during the period."
Please follow this link for the complete article.
http://www.floridabulldog.org/2018/07/will-brightline-passenger-train-survive-as-counties-try-to-choke-off-funding/