If done properly, the parties to benefit from the CSX project include not only CSX, but ALSO the residents of Winter Haven, Polk County, and the State of Florida. Anyone owning a business and trying to maintain or create jobs for people here surely knows how difficult our economy is right now due in part ot our lack of economic diversity. The CSX project, along with the many other support business and others who will likely co-locate here in the future, will no doubt have a positive impact to the City’s, County’s, and State’s economies. This project will help better tie us into the world economy, and add depth and variety to our local business community.

We have a golden opportunity to attract a world-class business to central Florida. I recall Polk Vision concluded that Polk County needed to attract this kind of business to help directly and indirectly create jobs and bring wealth into our community, which will benefit all residents. Let’s work together to figure out solutions to make this happen in a responsible way.

You can take them to the river but you CAN”T make them drink…

You’ve thrown out many claims and no data. We were an early partner with myregion.org and there are volumes of research available there. I wholeheartedly suggest you review that data before you claim that anyone has taken a casual approach to solving the challenges of this seven county region.

My profession? I’m the executive director of the Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce and a 46 year resident of this community. We believe our region has the brains and the vision to do it and do it well.

Visit this link to see the actual potential. No guessing, no wild claims. It represents the actual track record for the Alliance, Texas integrated logistics center. http://www.alliancetexas.com/Research/AllianceTexasFacts/EconomicImpact/tabid/202/Default.aspx

And if you haven’t visited Alliance, you really should consider seeing first hand that which you dismiss as “corporate welfare.”

Furthermore, why would we need to widen the road if we developed RBT? (rapid bus transit)It’s working everywhere else in the country and designating a fast lane would surely attract ridership.

Building mass transit that services everyone in regional Central Florida area is a better pursuit and commuter rail does not nor never will offer widespread service.

Our current LYNX bus system which could’ve been built into a superior, state of the art mass transit system stinks b/c of inadequate funding and insufficient attention from lawmakers. Mica & DOT thumb their noses at bus transit. If we had a legitimate bus transit system, like many other major metros in the country, servicing different socio-economic levels (yep, that’s right, rich people ride luxury buses too) I might support commuter rail as a supplement. Heck, as it stands, bus service isn’t even being offered as a supplemental service to take riders to a station.

What makes you think a region that won’t support bus system traffic nor can think outside the box to bring innovative smart bus to CF that is sprawled out for 100s of miles will support down the road mass rail running in a narrow straight line through a region spread 50 miles. Rail offers very limited service whereas buses could one day meet wide spread demand and furthermore, we OWN THE ROADS.

Rails are an obsolete short-sighted proposal and I would appreciate it if politicians would be honest about the CSX deal – corporate welfare.

BTW Bob, what is your profession? It’s been very interesting to watch the players who expect to make money off rail line up in support.

I have no financial ties to CSX or rail line development or any other project that will be directly impacted negatively or positively by rail.

Don’t be misled by the rhetoric of fear espoused by DLP. Visit this link for the actual economic statistics for the Alliance, Texas ILC: http://www.alliancetexas.com/Research/AllianceTexasFacts/EconomicImpact/tabid/202/Default.aspx

Well planned and executed it is a model of efficiency and design. We have that same opportunity and we are convinced we have the talent and vision in Polk County to do it as well or better.