PALMDALE – The 2nd High Speed Train Diversity Summit in the Desert, will be held on Monday, January 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Chimbole Cultural Center, 38250 Sierra Highway in Palmdale.
Admission is free. To register, visit www.veteranssi.com.
The Summit is designed to educate, organize and support businesses and professionals for the opportunities available with the arrival of Xpress West High Speed Rail in Las Vegas, Victorville and Palmdale. (View the LA Metrolink Connection Map here.)
Architects, engineers, contractors, sub-contractors, faith based groups, veteran job advocates, small business owners, attorneys, insurance agents, bankers and area chamber members are encouraged to attend.
The keynote speaker will be Dr. Robert E. Land, Director of Brookings Mountain West, Brookings Institute, UNLV.
Honorees include Janice Bryant Howroyd, Founder and CEO of Act-1 Group, Henry T. Wilfong, Jr., MBA, CPA and President of NASDB, Inc., and Kenneth McNeely of AT&T.
Other presenters include Rev. Dr. Robert R. Gains, a Vietnam war hero and owner of Veterans Southwest Industries, Roger A. Campos, Esq., President and CEO of the Minority Business RoundTable, and Palmdale Mayor James C. Ledford, Jr.
XpressWest is an exclusive, dual track high-speed train which will be the most advanced and fastest in the United States. With a top operating speed of 150 mph, the service will reduce travel time between Las Vegas and Southern California to 80 minutes at an average cost of $89 for a round trip ticket.
XpressWest is the only construction-ready high-speed rail project in the United States, as it has completed all of its permitting requirements and has applied for a Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement financing loan established through the Federal Rail Administration in 1998. For more information on XpressWest, visit www.xpresswest.com.
The 2nd High Speed Train Diversity Summit in the Desert is hosted by Veterans Southwest Industries, the Antelope Valley African American Chamber of Commerce, Minority Business Roundtable and the City of Palmdale. For more information, contact Stanley Washington at 702-581-2687 or email swash57@gmail.com.
(Information via press release from the High Speed Train Diversity Summit in the Desert group.)
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Michael Rives says
I cannot believe we do not have Indian owned lands near the AV. Why doesn’t someone investigate this and we can open some casinos here? Why send all the money to Vegas? Sure, Vegas is a lot of fun, but, we really need the money here.
Joseph says
The Palmdale to Las Vegas light rail is brilliant! So many positives, like stimulate the Palmdale economy on so many levels. More businesses and residents would want to live here because we have increase the option of moving around easier. It also increases the option for freedom to entertain yourself and spend your hard earned money in Las Vegas. I can see people living in Palmdale and commuting to work on the rail to Las Vegas. New businesses will locate in Palmdale because there in now more venues to entertain their employee off hours. Hence, no longer dead to live in Palmdale with nothing to do. Home value will go up and stay up because Palmdale become more of a retirement destination. Seniors also spend lots of money in their local communities. I hope we get that private loan and start building soon.
SickofTheAV says
I think they need to stop talking about it and actually build the damn thing already.
Nikolas says
Wow…. It’s apparent there are some fairly ignorant people posting their opinions on this website.
Waste of money? Hardly.. Did you realize that nearly 26% of ALL visitors to Las Vegas each year come from Southern California? Based on the annual visitor numbers of roughly 45 Million visitors to Las Vegas, that equals roughly 11 million individual “trips” to Las Vegas from Southern California.
I’m not sure when the last time was some of you made the drive to Las Vegas and back, but it is HORRIBLE. And has been for at least 20 years. Unless of course you head their mid week, avoid Fridays (to Vegas) and avoid Sundays (from Vegas).
Even on a good day, assuming you had a car that got 30mpg highway, from Palmdale, it would take you about 3 hours each way, and you’d use 7-8 gallons of gas. So factor in 6+ hours and 16 gallons of gas. On a GOOD day.
If your time is valuable to you, as it is to MANY people, an 80 minute train ride to Vegas from Palmdale will be WELL worth every penny spent on that $89 round-trip train ticket.
As for Vegas being dead…? Again, not sure when you were there last.. but each of the last few times I’ve been to Vegas, it has been as busy as I’ve seen it. The ONLY time I’ve seen Vegas nearly dead, a literal ghost town, was when I was there in October 2001, only a month after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
William says
My only complaint with the Las Vegas rail project is that Nevada should pay for most of it even though it most of it will be in California.
The notion that California should build a high-speed rail to ship ‘gambling dollars’ to Nevada, which also likes to have us ship our companies there as well, is crazy.
Matt K. says
Good point, William.
I’ve been told that even though it’s in California, the Highway 58/ I-15 interchange in Barstow was funded partially by the Nevada Dept. of Transportation and federal dollars steered toward the project by U.S. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV).
The state of Nevada, its residents and elected officials all know that if they can’t keep Californians coming up to spend money on the weekends, Las Vegas will shrivel up under the desert sun. As it is, it is the money from Californians that is keeping the place from looking like another Searchlight or Tonopah since international travel to Las Vegas has declined with the advent of Macau in China and Indian gaming everywhere else.
On the flip side, however, Californians do benefit somewhat from the flow of Nevadans coming to SoCal to enjoy the beaches, Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Six Flags, Universal Studios, etc. Last time I was in Santa Barbara, in fact, I probably saw no less than 15 Nevada license plates and I’m not making that up.
William says
Well, hopefully, there is fairly balanced travel both ways and not just Californians coming home.
It’s funny how Americans resist spending money for the essentials like health care, education, infrastructure but will freely spend money on gambling, recreation, entertainment, etc. and build a high-speed rail to facility getting there before the other high-speed rail.
Heck, put casinos in San Francisco and Los Angeles and Californians will build it yesterday.
I think we should heavily tax what Americans willing spend on non-essentials.
Mark Fisk says
If in fact they can run Palmdale to Vegas for 90 bucks round trip’ I would use it.
Rosemary Phillips says
If Stan Washington is involved, you better watch out! he is a hustler with no I.D. Maybe he should take the train to Seattle and get a valid Driver License. Hint, whatever you do, don’t drive.
QHR says
This is an awesome project that will stimulate economical growth for our valley and offer our residents more travel choices!
William says
Because the people who oppose it never use the project called State Route 14.
Leslie says
Obviously you personally do not live in a rural area and your home/ranch will not be affected. Its funny how people who will probably NEVER use the system – and whose homes are not in the path think the idea is GREAT…… I;m sure we could you the money elsewhere – like repairing the roads we have etc.
dumbandblind says
Another failure in the making. First we had LA/Palmdale Regional Airport operated by LAWA (Los Angeles Worlds Airport) now this!
dumbandblind says
OOOpppps I think I stepped on someone from either:
Minority Business Roundtable
Black Business Council of Nevada
National Association of Minority Contractors
California Black Chamber of Commerce
Antelope Valley Black Chamber of Commerce
Black Business Association
Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce
Black Business Council of Nevada
Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce (Why is Fresno anything involved?)
Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce
(and several others, whos logos are too small to read on the announcement
dumbandblind says
or any of the contractors/sub-contractors or organizers of these projects.
... says
This, and that other stupid high speed rail project (thanks a lot governor Moonbeam) are complete wastes of money. Meanwhile, please tax me more and more.
What’s the purpose of this “summit”?
“Honorees include…” Is this a summit or an awards ceremoney?
Hosted and co-hosted by:
Minority Business Roundtable
Black Business Council of Nevada
National Association of Minority Contractors
California Black Chamber of Commerce
Antelope Valley Black Chamber of Commerce
Black Business Association
Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce
Black Business Council of Nevada
Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce (Why is Fresno anything involved?)
Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce
(and several others, whos logos are too small to read on the announcement
Why does it appear to be mainly minority groupd promoting this?
The Anti-REX says
This project is a complete waste of taxpayer money! Billions of dollars to ferry people to Las Vagas, why?
Forward says
Uh, no – I think this train is planned to go from SF to SDiego.
A train to Vegas is now in the works, private $$ and will run along the 15.
Apparently, there’s also a high-speed train planned for the east coast. If the two coasts can get together and combine design & costs, it’ll benefit everyone.