The Brightline MiamiCentral has changed the landscape of the area, bringing easy access to high-speed transit that never existed before.
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF BRIGHTLINE
FEW PROJECTS have impacted how Floridians travel more than Brightline. Beginning in 2012, when Fortress Investment Group announced the “All Aboard Florida” effort to build the only privately owned and operated intercity passenger rail service in the country, Brightline has changed the way we go from Miami all the way to Orlando. Officially launched in 2018, Brightline has station stops in Miami, Aventura, Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and in 2023, started serving Orlando. More stations are in the planning stages, including a West Coast expansion, where Brightline West will go from Southern California to Las Vegas. Overseeing this multi-billion-dollar enterprise is Patrick Goddard, Chief Executive Officer of Brightline Florida. Originally from Ireland, he has degrees in business and hospitality from Trinity College Dublin and Technological University Dublin, with extensive experience in the hotel and hospitality sectors. Goddard has been recognized by Orlando Magazine as one of the “50 Most Powerful People in Orlando,” and included among South Florida Business Journal’s “Power Leaders 250” and Florida Trend’s “500 Most Influential Leaders.” Goddard also serves on the boards of the Miami Downtown Development Authority and the FIFA World Cup 2026 Miami Host Committee. Goddard shares how Brightline has impacted how we get around and what might be coming next in this interview with AQUA Pinecrest:
As Brightline Florida CEO, you’ve watched Brightline grow and expand under your leadership. What has guiding Brightline meant to you, both personally and professionally? Brightline has catalyzed and reintroduced the conversation of what travel should look like in America and has given people a reason to believe that passenger rail is a big part of that equation. Watching this discussion begin in South Florida first has been especially rewarding. Watching South Florida friends, neighbors, and business colleagues make Brightline a part of their lives continues to be one of the most rewarding parts of the job. Brightline started as an alternative to driving I-95. Can you share how ridership has grown since Brightline made its debut in South Florida, and the overall impact on how people commute here? Brightline currently moves close to 300,000 guests per month, and ridership continues to grow. We provide a safe alternative to the awful traffic of I-95, the Florida Turnpike, and
avoid the hassle involved in taking a short flight. Guests are making Brightline a part of their lives, traveling whether it be a weekend getaway to the parks or a cruise, a business meeting, attending one of the many sports or entertainment events in the state, or even a daily commute to work. The traditional lines that separate business and leisure travel are dissolving— which impacts the hospitality industry in a good way. “Bleisure” is a trend that is expected to become a multi-billiondollar sub-industry within the existing travel market. More than half of business travelers extend their business trips into personal trips multiple times each year. It isn’t just commuting; it is connecting across communities. Brightline makes this option even easier. Historically, high-speed mass transit has had a difficult time gaining a foothold in this country. Why do you think that is, and how has Brightline succeeded in changing that mindset? Brightline has put our guests first since day one, designing the train sets and each station. From the signature citrus scents in the stations to the high-speed Starlink to keep guests connected while traveling, we put the guest experience first. I have a hotel background, like many of our teammates, and we have always been driven to be a hospitality company that is in the train business. We understand that it’s not enough to just provide the commodity of transportation, but it must also offer a first-class experience.
OCTOBER 2025 / 19
18-20 APC_SunshineState_1025_Final.indd 19
9/17/25 1:37 PM