STATEWIDE — Brightline is close to inking a deal to bring high-speed rail to Disney and Tampa from Orlando International Airport. But the project is leaving some feeling left out.

Businesses along International Drive, including Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando, are urging Brightline to change its proposed route.

“People coming from Tampa, they want to go a little further than Disney and the airport,” said John Stine, the Slingshot Group director of Sales and Marketing and an executive board member of the I-Drive Chamber of Commerce.

Right now, Brightline is considering building a track along State Road 417 to connect its Orlando International Airport station to Disney Springs, and then follow Interstate 4 down to Tampa.

“It misses Central Florida altogether,” said Stine, who adds the State Road 417 route would disrupt communities in Hunters Creek and nearby wetlands.

“We would like to see rail service here on the drive,” said Stine. “We have been looking at that and talking about that for 25 years.”

The I-Drive Chamber of Commerce is urging Brightline to instead build a rail line along State Road 528 west towards the Orange County Convention Center and then travel along I-4 down to Disney and Tampa.

The only problem with that plan is the cost.

“The two routes both have their merits, one is more significantly costly than the other,” Brightline President Patrick Goddard told Spectrum News.

Goddard said the preferred route along State Road 417 is a billion dollars cheaper.

“We’re close to finalizing our lease agreement along the initial preferred route, but we have left the door open and discussions open to continue to explore that alternate route,” Goddard said.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings says it is up to businesses to pick up the tab if they are serious about moving Brightline’s route.

“In order to look at the 528 alignment, there’s an additional cost and it’s undetermined at this point if the private sector, the private sector businesses, including the International Drive area are willing to pay for that connectivity,” said Demings.

Stine says with expansion in sight for his group, they are building two new attractions at ICON park, along with Universal and the convention center’s plans for growth, he expects the business community to help get Brightline to change its mind.

“You will definitely see people stepping up,” said Stine, who adds the cost difference between the two routes is still unclear. “We’re committed to making it happen.”

If Brightline were to locate a stop near the convention center, I-Drive business leaders say it would open the door to connecting I-Drive to other rail services, like SunRail.

“The future of the transit options within I-Drive could include light rail, it could include bus rapid transit, it could include some other form of transit within that area, so we’re exploring all of that,” said Demings, who told Spectrum News that he is likely to put an infrastructure sales tax initiative back on the ballot at some point to address mobility issues along I-Drive and the rest of the county.

As for Brightline, their route between South Florida and Orlando International Airport is more than 60 percent complete. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.