ORLANDO, Fla. — A passenger rail connecting Orlando International Airport and the International Drive tourist district is one step closer to reality.

Universal Orlando, along with Orlando’s Right Rail coalition, announced plans Thursday to create a community development district that will “plan, finance and operate” a SunRail station at the Orange County Convention Center.

The public entity, named the Shingle Creek Transit Utility Community Development District, would create a commuter line between the airport and the convention center. The project, known at the Sunshine Corridor, would also connect passengers to the Brightline, which will run lines from the airport to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.

“We are one step closer to creating a multi-directional commuter rail system that benefits our entire region,” Universal Parks & Resorts executive vice president John Sprouls said in a statement. “The new SunRail corridor and convention center station will make it easier for residents to get to work, the airport and to the places they love. And it will enable business growth within the International Drive area and across the region.”

As part of the plan, Universal is pledging 13 acres of land for the convention center station and says it will support up to $125 million in bond financing to fund the project. And, along with the Orlando's Right Rail coalition, Universal plans to contribute and support the district’s guarantee of $13 million in annual ticket sales — the estimated yearly amount needed to operate the corridor.

Universal shared a map of of the proposed Sunshine Corridor. The convention center station would also be near the site of Universal’s upcoming theme park, Epic Universe, which is set to open in the summer of 2025.

Officials expect the station could provide transportation connectivity for tens of thousands of workers in the tourist area, as well as help double SunRail’s annual ridership and revenue.