03/02/2000 01:55 PM House TRA

      HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                                   
                   March 2, 2000                                                                                                
                     1:55 p.m.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
OVERVIEW: ANCHORAGE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT RAILROAD STATION BY THE                                                               
          ALASKA RAILROAD CORPORATION                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
TAPE(S)                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
00-15, SIDE(S) A                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative Andrew Halcro, Chairman, convened the House                                                                      
Transportation Standing Committee meeting at 1:55 p.m.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
PRESENT                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
All members were present.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
[FOR HB 362 AND HB 182 PLEASE SEE HOUSE TRANSPORTATION MINUTES                                                                  
DATED 3/2/00 AT 1:10 P.M.]                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
JAMES KUBITZ, Vice President, Real Estate and Project Planning,                                                                 
Alaska Railroad Corporation, Department of Community & Economic                                                                 
Development, came forward to brief the committee members on the                                                                 
railroad station at the Anchorage International Airport.  He                                                                    
indicated that the project is on time, on budget and moving                                                                     
forward.  The railroad has signed a 55-year lease agreement, which                                                              
has been executed, and they will start paying rent shortly.  He                                                                 
also indicated that the lease can automatically be terminated, if                                                               
the rail station is not used for 18 consecutive months.  He further                                                             
mentioned that a market analysis, which was completed in July of                                                                
1999, indicates that this is very promising, especially as it                                                                   
relates to the tourism industry.  The cruise industry, he said, is                                                              
always looking for ways to get people to-and-from town.  Moreover,                                                              
according to polls in the Palmer and Wasilla areas, people are more                                                             
likely to take a commuter train to the airport than to work.  Mr.                                                               
Kubitz further indicated that the funding will come from a direct                                                               
grant from the Federal Railroad Administration.  His comments were                                                              
followed by a series of questions by committee members.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
The committee took no action.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
The meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
NOTE:                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was recorded and handwritten log notes were taken.  A                                                               
copy of the tape(s) and log notes may be obtained by contacting the                                                             
House Records Office at 129 6th Street, Suite 229, Juneau, Alaska                                                               
99801, (907) 465-2214, and after adjournment of the second session                                                              
of the Twenty-first Alaska State Legislature this information may                                                               
be obtained by contacting the Legislative Reference Library at 129                                                              
6th Street, Suite 102, Juneau, Alaska  99801, (907) 465-3808.