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Virgin Trains USA, previously known as Brightline, already operates a high-speed train in Florida. Its California-Nevada project is expected to span 185 miles and take 90 minutes to move passengers between Las Vegas and Victorville, Calif., which is northeast of Los Angeles.
Tuesday, July 6, 2021 | 6:45 p.m.
A holding company for Brightline West, a firm that has plans to build a high-speed electric rail line from Las Vegas to Southern California, has purchased 110 acres of land near the Strip to build a terminal station.
The land, which is located on the west side of Las Vegas Boulevard between Warm Springs Road to the north and Blue Diamond Road to the south, was purchased for $140 million, according to the Clark County records.
“(Tuesday’s) announcement represents another important milestone for the project and is tangible evidence of our commitment and progress,” said Michael Reininger, CEO of Brightline Holdings, in a statement. “The location and quality of the site matches our aspirations for what will be the showcase for new high-speed rail in the country.”
The $5 billion rail system would have the capacity to carry about 11 million passengers annually, company officials said. The trains would carry up to 500 passengers and move at speeds up to 200 mph.
The terminal would consist of a 65,000-square-foot building and would include “ample parking” for train customers, the company said.
Brightline officials touted the site’s proximity to the Strip, McCarran International Airport, Allegiant Stadium, and other Las Vegas attractions and infrastructure hubs.
“The site affords us the size and optimum characteristics to fully execute our vision that will be anchored by the most convenient connection between two of the most significant markets in the West,” said Sarah Watterson, president and chief development officer of Brightline West. “Building upon our experiences in Florida, we will now bring creativity, innovation and environmental focus to this new gateway for Las Vegas.”
Brightline has built a high-speed rail line that runs along stops in South Florida and has an additional line to Orlando under construction.
Ground was scheduled to be broken for the Vegas-to-California route last year, but California officials pulled the plug on a planned $600 million private activity bond allocation, which was supposed to raise up to $2.4 billion for the project.
Officials there cited “economic uncertainty” as the reason behind the cancelation of the sale of the bonds.
A similar $200 million bond sale was approved last year by the Nevada State Board of Finance, though there was a stipulation that the bonds would need to be sold before the end of 2020, which did not happen.
It’s expected that Brightline will not seek bond financing this year, according to an official with the Nevada Department of Business and Industry.
The first leg of the Brightline West route would run from Las Vegas to Victorville, Calif., according to the company. That trip would take about 90 minutes.
The Vegas-to-Victorville route would cost around $2 billion, Brightline has indicated.
An additional $3 billion could then go toward an extension from Victorville to Los Angeles Union Station.
If it does become a reality, the train would go a long way to ease traffic congestion between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, which is often at its worst during long holiday weekends like the recent Fourth of July holiday.
