Good Morning, Sunland
It's Tuesday! and let's jump right in!
🍔 Last week I reported about Island Burger & Shake closing down. Erin's Irish Pub is going in its place. Opening end of May at the end of Seaway Drive near Jetty Park. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, classic Irish staples, beer, wine, and "steak and potato" nights… Interested to see how it pans out.
🍽️ People have been loving the food guide! I've been adding to it slowly. Check it out here.
Ja'Min Devon
Founder, Sunland News
🟠 Main Squeeze: Brightline had its best quarter ever
Brightline closed out the first quarter of 2026 with 900,434 passengers and $61.2 million in total revenue, both all time highs since the company launched in 2018 and expanded to Orlando in 2023 🚆.
Why it matters: Brightline has not had an easy run financially. The company missed its second interest payment on $1.2 billion in subordinate municipal bonds in January, following a first missed payment in July 2025. Against that backdrop, a record quarter with ridership up 13% and revenue up 12% year over year is meaningfully different from what we normally see from Brightline 📈.
The Q1 2026 numbers 📋:
🎫 900,434 total passengers, up 13% from the same period in 2025
💰 $61.2 million in total revenue, up 12% year over year
🛤️ 504,068 long distance riders, up 8%
🚉 396,366 short distance riders, up 22%
📈 March alone set a monthly record with 337,874 passengers driven by spring break, Ultra Music Festival and the World Baseball Classic
Worth noting: Brightline added extra long distance round trips between Thursday and Sunday starting February 19th, which generated roughly $1.1 million in additional revenue in March alone. Baggage fees remain the fastest growing revenue category 👀.
Locally, here is where things stand 📍: Martin County is partnering with Brightline to request $69.3 million in federal funding from the Federal Railroad Administration to build a station in Stuart. The total estimated project cost has climbed to $87.15 million, up from $60 million in 2025, with Martin County contributing $17.87 million in non-federal cost share. The project is expected to be completed by mid 2029 if funding comes through. Worth noting the FRA did not award Martin County's previous request for $45 million in September 2025.
What's next: The federal funding decision from the FRA is pending 📅.
💬 Do you think the Treasure Coast will ever get a Brightline station? Is there still hope? Tell us right here
🥳 Out-of-Towner: April 28 - May 5… If you're willing to drive
Tuesday, April 28 – Sunday, May 3
🎭 The Notebook – The Musical – Kravis Center, West Palm Beach. | Multiple showtimes Apr 28–May 3 | Ticketed | Details
Saturday, May 2
🎵 561 Music Festival 2026 – Meyer Amphitheater, West Palm Beach. | 11 AM | Details
Sunday, May 3
Tuesday, May 5
🎭 Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat – Live on Stage! – Kravis Center, West Palm Beach. | 6 PM | Ticketed | Details
Send More Events Here
💧 The Last Drop: Budget Deal, Brisket Pub Subs, and Brightline Ridership
💰 Florida House and Senate reach budget deal – Special session set for May 12-29 to finalize spending plan. $51.98B in general revenue, smaller than current year's budget. See the budget deal
🥩 Publix is selling brisket subs now – First time brisket added to lineup. Spicy Brisket, BLT, Southern Style, plus Stacked Brisket brioche sandwich. Brisket subs
📉 Florida's pandemic migration boom fizzled out – Affordability concerns pushing working-age residents to relocate. Pinellas County lost second-highest number of residents of any U.S. county (after LA) July 2024-2025. Migration slowdown
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