Passenger Trains > Virgin Trains Las Vegas construction delayed

Construction is being put off for a couple of years after failing to get needed tax abatements in the state of Nevada:

http://www.startribune.com/construction-delayed-on-southern-california-las-vegas-train/510677402/

Seems like to me that for a risky project with many public benefits, the state ought to be a bit more generous in regards to the tax angle.

"...Like Nevada, high-speed rail was an unfulfilled dream in Florida for decades," O'Malley said. "Florida leaders encouraged private investment in high-speed rail, and as a result the state is now reaping the benefits of billions of dollars in privately funded infrastructure, thousands of good-paying jobs, improved mobility for its residents, and positive environmental impacts..."

ts1457 Wrote:
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> Construction is being put off for a couple of
> years after failing to get needed tax abatements
> in the state of Nevada:
>
> http://www.startribune.com/construction-delayed-on
> -southern-california-las-vegas-train/510677402/
>
> Seems like to me that for a risky project with
> many public benefits, the state ought to be a bit
> more generous in regards to the tax angle.



Few, if any, "public benefits" will result. Moot anyway.

If it were a good idea, it wouldn't need so much subsidy.

As I've said for years, it will never be built. Same as predicted for CAHSR.  Thank me later.

 

The USA is in a sad state....

Duna Wrote:
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> ts1457 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Construction is being put off for a couple of
> > years after failing to get needed tax
> abatements
> > in the state of Nevada:
> >
> >
> http://www.startribune.com/construction-delayed-on
>
> > -southern-california-las-vegas-train/510677402/
> >
> > Seems like to me that for a risky project with
> > many public benefits, the state ought to be a
> bit
> > more generous in regards to the tax angle.
>
>
>
> Few, if any, "public benefits" will result. Moot
> anyway.
>
> If it were a good idea, it wouldn't need so much
> subsidy.
>
> As I've said for years, it will never be built.
> Same as predicted for CAHSR.  Thank me later.
>
>  Except CAHSR is under construction.

Duna Wrote:
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> Few, if any, "public benefits" will result. Moot
> anyway.
>
> If it were a good idea, it wouldn't need so much
> subsidy.
>
> As I've said for years, it will never be built.
> Same as predicted for CAHSR.  Thank me later.

Excuse me for being so daft to think that getting thousands of passengers a day off of the public highways and airways is a public benefit and also for believing that not taxing something that shouldn't be taxed is not a subsidy.

You may well be correct that the project will never be built, but if these people want to spend their own dime, I'd tell them, "go for it".

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/19 23:07 by ts1457.

I hope the state chokes on their cars and bus fumes...
Surprised Branson cant get the casino owners to put pressure on the state...

Meanwhile, I-15 thru Las Vegas is getting a $1 billion makeover.  $1 billion!!!!!!!!!!!

Nevada just loves getting money from the Feds.  It would nice of them to be generous in return for this project, being they just got a HUGE handout.

And keep in mind:  did the RAIDERS get special tax breaks for their new stadium down there?  If so, why?  This train would probably be PACKED with Raiders fans on game days.

 

bluesboyst Wrote:
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> The USA is in a sad state....

In ways beyond some people's imagination, and that's ignoring this "delay."

I claimed 8 months ago that Brightline's purchase of XpressWest was a deal to help recover the cost for XpressWest's stakeholders. With that line of thinking, there's no incentive for the XpressWest people working under Brightline (a.k.a. Virgin Trains) to continue the Las Vegas project. They were already giving up. so they focused on getting their money back, by marketing their idea to Brightline so they can be purchased by them?

In an environment like this, it's no surprise for "obstacles" to pop up. 

pdt Wrote:
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> I hope the state chokes on their cars and bus
> fumes...
> Surprised Branson cant get the casino owners to
> put pressure on the state...

Public transportation in Nevada is rather sparse, even buses, so they'll have to choke on the cars.

Sir Richard is on his way to become a casino owner himself, by converting Hard Rock Las Vegas to Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Maybe he has a big plan, so let's see how all this might play out.
 

I saw sme recent Nevada legislation seemngly like the country they have more pressing matters.

Bob

Duna Wrote:
> Few, if any, "public benefits" will result. Moot
> anyway.
> If it were a good idea, it wouldn't need so much
> subsidy.
> As I've said for years, it will never be built.

You are an anti-rail  relic of the 1960's. 
$4B Billion for 185 miles is not a subsidy, but an investment. If it were highway, that is what you would call it. 
Nevada is also one of those Net-Recipient states for the Highway Trust Fund, also getting $1 Billion to rebuild a highway, probably 80 - 90% federally funded. Welfare is addictive and leads to expectations of entitlement. The nation would get along just fine without doing that. 

"The company plans to pursue tax abatements again in 2021, the next session of the biennial Legislature.The project is being financed entirely by private investment, so the company is not looking for tax credits or state grants"

In NJ, we are spending $1 Billion just to rebuild an existing highway interchange in South Jersey. 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/02/19 04:21 by joemvcnj.

I doubt the line has much chance of happening anytime soon regardless. Wouldn't investors wait to see how the full Orlando to Miami line performs first, before handing out another billion dollars?

Remember when All Aboard Florida first announced, and they said the project would be completed in 2014 for only $1 bn? Here we are 5 years and $3 bn later, but it doesn't get the scrutiny that CAHSR does, because??

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120322005917/en/Florida-East-Coast-Industries-Announces-Plans-Private



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/02/19 04:56 by chrsjrcj.

Not sure how anyone thinks the USA is in a "sad state."  3.1% GDP just announced. Record low unemployment. Low inflation. Sir Richard Branson has shown that private investment is the way forward, not some government boondoggle. 

There is no practical business case for a passenger train high speed or any other speed from Victorville to Las Vegas.  Read some of the initial studies on this route and as a private operation there was not a positive rate of return.  Unless you get to at a minimum San Bernardino to connect with the commuter lines you cannot serve the market properly.  The cost of doing that is prohibitive and finding a HSR route over Cajon that is practical, affordable, and passes environmental review is just not going to happen.  

jtwlunch Wrote:
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> There is no practical business case for a
> passenger train high speed or any other speed from
> Victorville to Las Vegas.... 

I think Virgin is eyeing the Victorvile - Palmdale corridor as the way to get into the LA Basin.

I agree about Victorville and the infeasibility of Cajon, but I can't help but believe that they have a plan.

ts1457 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jtwlunch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > There is no practical business case for a
> > passenger train high speed or any other speed
> from
> > Victorville to Las Vegas.... 
>
> I think Virgin is eyeing the Victorvile - Palmdale
> corridor as the way to get into the LA Basin.
>
> I agree about Victorville and the infeasibility of
> Cajon, but I can't help but believe that they have
> a plan.



"The Plan" is probably to extract as much public and private capital as possible.

An LA - Santa Clarita - Palmdale - Victorville - Vegas routing is tortuous.

There will be no Los Angeles - Las Vegas train via new ROW or UP.

andersonb109 Wrote:
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> Not sure how anyone thinks the USA is in a "sad
> state."  3.1% GDP just announced. Record low
> unemployment. Low inflation.

The same pundits (at your favorite news network) who touted the good economic news aren't happy about our nation for reasons very off topic. I realize you're shooting from the hip to blueboyst's comment, but I'm a little baffled with your narrow perspective.

> Sir Richard Branson
> has shown that private investment is the way
> forward, not some government boondoggle. 

XpressWest officially began as a HSR venture funded privately by Las Vegas hotel interests, and knowing that, pdt's comment above should make more sense to the less informed. Sir Richard only attached his Virgin brand to Brightline just before the IPO which did not happen. Private or government, there are obstacles to overcome, and the line between private and government is more blurry than what ideology might lead people to believe.

I mean if private investment is so "superior," who needs tax abatements to push the project forward?

Lax Vegas could definitely use light rail mass transit from Henderson and the airport. And from many neighborhoods, colleges.

Posted from Android

andersonb109 Wrote:
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> Record low
> unemployment.

Too bad those jobs don't pay enough for people to have a place to live other than the street. Around 40% of homeless have a job.

Railroad employment is among the few left that falls in the middle...or what used to be the middle.

TAW