STUART, Fla. – Nearly six months after its March 4 ceremony, announcing a new intermediate station to be constructed in downtown Stuart, Brightline is now heading back to the drawing board. The TC Palm newspaper reported a city commissioners meeting on Sept. 9 to rescind both its ground lease and interlocal agreements with the passenger service, resulting in two favored 3-2 votes.
The initial deal called for a $60 million station with the City of Stuart and Martin County contributing $45 million and donating the planned 2.4-acre site for a $1 yearly lease to Brightline for 80 years [See “Stuart, Fla., says it will be site of new Brightline station” News Wire, Feb. 27, 2024]. A new agreement was unanimously voted on Aug. 12, but Commissioner Christopher Collins sees it as a “bad deal for taxpayers” with Brightline not paying its fair share for the new station, according to the TC Palm.
“We’re confident that tonight’s actions don’t reflect the wishes of the majority of business owners and residents who have supported Brightline’s efforts to bring a station to Martin County,” said Ben Porritt, Brightline’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs in a statement sent to the newspaper.
While a Sept. 10 meeting by Martin County commissioners voted to continue negotiations between all parties, Fort Pierce officials expressed interest in another bid to have their city as an alternative for Brightline. The Treasure Coast town was one of three applicants to bid on a new station location for the region along the West Palm Beach-Orlando route before Stuart was eventually selected [See “Fort Pierce, Stuart enter bids for new Brightline station” News Wire, Dec. 24, 2023].
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