Brightline, the private passenger rail service in Florida, has began operating its high speed train lines to connect South Florida to Orlando today. This new route will link two major finance hubs in the state and make travel between them faster and easier.
Brightline’s trains have currently been running between Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. The expansion to Orlando, which opened on September 22, 2023, stretches the service across the state and connects it to one of Florida’s largest business and tourism centers.
According to Brightline’s president Patrick Goddard, the new route “will transform Central Florida into a connected region” and link its economy even closer with South Florida’s. This enhanced connectivity between the region’s financial sectors will likely lead to increased business deals, partnerships, and investment.
In particular, the new Brightline connection will simplify travel between Palm Beach County and Orlando. Palm Beach is home to a cluster of hedge funds, private equity firms, and other financial companies. Orlando similarly has a thriving financial industry, with investment firms, banks, and financial technology companies based in the metro area.
With a Brightline station at Orlando International Airport, it is now easier than ever for finance professionals to commute between the two cities for meetings and conferences. This will allow greater collaboration within Florida’s finance community.
One major finance event that will benefit is NobleCon19, an investor conference focusing on emerging growth companies. NobleCon19 is scheduled for December 3-5, 2023 in Boca Raton, located in Palm Beach County. The conference attracts finance experts from across the country, including professionals based in the Orlando area.
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Once the new Brightline route opened, Orlando-based investors, analysts, and executives interested in attending NobleCon now have a convenient 3.5 hour train trip directly from Orlando International Airport to Boca Raton. This is faster than driving, which takes over 4.5 hours in traffic. It is also quicker than Amtrak’s routes connecting the two cities, which take 5-7 hours.
Brightline’s president Patrick Goddard noted that the train service will “make it easier for all Floridians and visitors to experience the best our state has to offer.” This will certainly include connecting finance pros between hubs like Orlando and Palm Beach County.
Overall, Brightline’s expansion to Orlando has linked key financial centers across Florida. For financial companies and professionals, it will facilitate easier networking, stronger partnerships, and more dealmaking. The launch of the new route in September 2023 is a major plus for Florida’s finance sector.