Southeastern Economic Alliance to kick off high speed rail push for the region

Atlanta -- Members of the Southeastern Economic Alliance (SEA), the result of a meeting called by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce last year, will meet with hundreds of business leaders in Charlotte today to kick off the business community's push for the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor.

SEA is composed of 13 cities in six Southeastern states. The group will hear the results of an independent consultant's study on how business can best organize to make high-speed rail a reality in the Southeast. U.S. legislators will lead discussions on efforts underway to pass the $12 billion High Speed Rail Investment Act, also known as Senate bill 250.

"States in the Southeast have grown as much as 200 percent over the past 40 years," said Sam A. Williams, president of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. "As a result, we have experienced rapid economic growth, with no end in sight. This conference, and the proactive business coalition that will result from it, will move our region even further toward a high-speed rail system that will help move people efficiently from Savannah to Washington, D.C."

The Alliance envisions that high-speed rail will be built in the United States, and will discuss ways to ensure that the next leg of the system is the Southeast Corridor. SEA's mission won't be an easy one - states like Illinois, Minnesota, Texas, California, Oregon, Washington and others will also be lobbying hard for federal dollars to get high-speed rail lines built in their areas.

In 1997, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported that, "The average trip on the Southeast Corridor would be longer (in distance) and generate more revenue than on any other route." Also, the DOT expects traffic congestion on urban freeways to increase 400 percent by 2020, and the FAA recently reported that one out of every four flights was late in 2000 – an all time record.

"Managing growth is getting harder, as our highways, airports, open spaces and environment sag under the weight of ever more people and endless development," said Hugh L. McColl Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Bank of America. "Solutions aren't easy, but transportation is a key piece of the puzzle, and we must find the courage to explore new and different options. High-speed rail – which is efficient, environmentally sound and a staple of mass transit in many other developed countries – is a bold solution, and an idea whose time has come for our region."

Elected officials at the meeting will include: Gov. Jim Hodges (D-SC), Sen. Max Cleland (D-GA) and Rep. Jim DeMint (R-SC). Businessmen addressing the gathering will include Hugh McColl, CEO of Bank of America, and Dan DuPree, retiring president and COO of Cousins Properties in Atlanta. Others in attendance include David Ratcliffe, CEO of Georgia Power Company; Gene Conti, deputy chief secretary, North Carolina Department of Transportation; and, Wiley Mitchell, senior general counsel for Norfolk Southern.

The results of the study, commissioned by SEA and conducted by Atlanta-based The DaVinci Group, will be unveiled at today's meeting from 8:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at the Charlotte Hilton Towers. The event is open to the public.

About SEA
The Southeastern Economic Alliance (SEA) is a coalition of 13 chambers from across six Southeastern states, representing business leaders from Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Columbia, Greenville, Hampton Roads, Macon, Raleigh, Richmond, Savannah, Spartanburg and Winston-Salem. SEA was established following a meeting called by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce in August 2000. The goal of the Alliance is rapid implementation of competitive, reliable and safe high-speed passenger rail service across the region. SEA looks to accomplish this goal by sponsoring ongoing lobbying activities in Washington D.C., increasing awareness of the need for high-speed rail in the Southeast through educational events, and developing knowledgeable business leaders to advocate these initiatives.

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