Blog

REMARKS   16 Total remarks on this post. Add your own remarks below

• April 1st, 2008 at 11:51 am
  Jack Snively

  This is not only a great opportunity for Winter Haven; it’s a great opportunity for all of central Florida. It’s a shame that some put there self interests above what is good for the whole!

• April 1st, 2008 at 1:52 pm
  Bill Daughtry

  I think this is a great opportunity for the future of Winter Haven area business. It will offer much needed jobs for our area. All an all I’d like to see it happen.

• April 1st, 2008 at 2:00 pm
  Jerry Herring

  The CSX project will benefit CSX investors, Orlando area residents and tourist. It also offers some lower paying jobs in the Winter Haven area as it loads up the highways with hundreds of trucks and I suppose that is ok if that is what that community determines is good for them. It should not, however jeopardize the opportunity for Winter Haven, Auburndale, Lakeland and Tampa to obtain commuter rail in the future. CSX has stated that you simply cannot have both.

• April 1st, 2008 at 2:01 pm
  Bob Gernert

  Jerry,

  The actual experience of the jobs created at an operating ILC in Alliance, Texas brought more than 60 Fortune 500 and Forbes Top 100 businesses to that vicinity — hardly low paying jobs. It will also not jeopardize commuter rail for Winter Haven, Auburndale, Lakeland and others. CSX has never stated you can’t have both — only that you can’t have both on the same tracks. The Florida Department of Transportation is currently studying options for the freight traffic and the communities you mention all have an interest in a comprehensive plan for commuter rail. A successful project in Orlando will help form the basis for expansion.

• April 1st, 2008 at 2:02 pm
  Sandy Womble

  Spending close to $1 billion dollars on a 61 mile linear train burdened by liability issues that don’t favor the taxpayers is not a “good opportunity” for anyone except CSX and the companies who will benefit from their freight distribution like Wal-Mart.

  I am a proponent of smart mass transit, however, this is not the panacea a few people are claiming it will be.

  I live within one mile of this line and predict I will not be riding nor will my spouse or any other person on my street. It does not service destinations I frequent.

  Winter Park, Florida is one of the few cities who will supposedly benefit from commuter rail, however, many residents oppose it. The mentality in CF is “I support commuter rail for everyone else to ride so my road (travel time) will be less congested.”

• April 1st, 2008 at 2:03 pm
  Bob Gernert

  Sandy,

  The cost to widen I-4 and other roads necessary to carry the traffic along the proposed 61-mile commuter rail route to handle projected population growth will far exceed teh $1 billion projected for this project. Commuter rail that runs on time in a clean, pleasant environment will attract riders and habit can change.

• April 1st, 2008 at 2:15 pm
  Ed Kleissler

  The types of jobs that Winter Haven will get from CSX will not help Polk County become a great place. The negative effect this project will have on Lakeland and other Polk communities will only help high caliber businesses decide to locate elsewhere, in communities that are great places to live in.

• April 1st, 2008 at 2:44 pm
  Bob Gernert

  Ed,

  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.

• April 1st, 2008 at 4:12 pm
  Sandy

  Bob, I respectfully disagree. We have not been provided any hard facts or actual numbers from Mica, MyRegion, CFRail or any other source. There are very few studies being circulated - one important question not being answered, who will ride? Throwing out that widening I-4 will cost $1 billion dollars without actual data to back it up is as old as the idea. Chamber-speak I’m afraid.

  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.

• April 1st, 2008 at 4:34 pm
  Bob Gernert

  Sandy,

  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.”

• April 1st, 2008 at 5:07 pm
  Winter Haven native

  I would like to address the earlier comment which I’ve seen from time to time stating how it’s a shame that a few would put their own self interest ahead of the needs of the many. I would like to remind everyone that this is NOT a communist state. This project will have a severe negative impact on quite a few locals as well as other polk countians and their businesses just to start.If this project was a new hospital,school, or an institution of the like, the earlier comment might hold water. However concerns about these negative impacts to locals so far have been met with a “take it and like it attitude” for the sole purpose of economic gain for someone else. I don’t blame people for being fired up, and now this type of attitude along with the way this has been handled from the beginning is fueling concern statewide.

• April 2nd, 2008 at 1:32 pm
  SAM KILLEBREW

  Bob,

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

• April 2nd, 2008 at 2:46 pm
  Steven Elias

  Along with any project comes the need for proper planning and making sure the parties benefiting from it bear a large portion of the associated costs. If this project is to move forward, there is no question that solutions to all infrastructure related matters must be resolved. This can be done and happens all the time.

  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.

• April 2nd, 2008 at 7:18 pm
  conner trent

  Bob, I truly understand Lakeland’s issues concerning the CSX developement in W.H. I have lived in the Lakeland and Winter Havena area for 48 yrs. I love Lakeland, that community has done a fantastic job developing their city, you could go on forever about their foresight for the future development of their city, a very admirable job by any city’s effort. I have always admired what that have been able to accomplish. I honestly believe that have been able to accomplish this mission by having their business leaders, politicians, Chamber, and government on the same page of the goals they wish to obtain. But, I also feel that Lakeland has always believed that they are Polk County. But, East Polk has come to MATURITY. The future is for Polk County to work together. This may not be the best thing for Lakeland, but it is the best thing for Polk County. Why didn’t Lakeland work with CSX 30 years ago when they were heavy into the developement of downtown?? Bob, let me know what I can do to help.

• April 2nd, 2008 at 7:20 pm
  conner trent

  Bob, I truly understand Lakeland’s issues concerning the CSX developement in W.H. I have lived in the Lakeland and Winter Havena area for 48 yrs. I love Lakeland, that community has done a fantastic job developing their city, you could go on for ever for their foresight for the future developement of their city, a very admirable job by any city’s effort. I have always admired what that have been able to accomplish. I honestly believe that have been able to accomplish this mission by having their business leaders, politicians,Chamber, and government being on the same page of the goals thy which to obtain. But, I also feel that Lakeland has always believed that their are Polk County. But, East Polk has come to MATURITY. The future is for Polk County to work together. This may not be the best thing for Lakeland, but it is the best thing for Polk County. Why didn’t Lakeland work with CSX 30 years ago when they where heavy into the developement of down town?? Bob, let me know what I can do to help. Thaks for the bogs, I read all of them.
  Conner Trent

• April 3rd, 2008 at 7:07 am
  JOHN JOHNSON

  If the CSX was such a great project for Polk County,why was most of the plans for it done behind closed doors.This is not a good example of government of the people,for the people and by the people.The voters of Polk County should have the right to vote on projects that will have a profound effect on their lives and the lives of their children and grand-children.
  April 3,2008 @8;10 AM
  JOHN JOHNSON

ADD REMARKS (please be civil)