Mobile mayor pursuing covered Amtrak station as subsidy debate approaches

Mobile Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis confirmed this week that his administration is developing a plan for a covered train station in downtown Mobile to serve Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service.Details remain limited, but Cheriogotis said he expects to unveil a concept within the next two to three months. Some council members have expressed interest in incorporating a train station into unused space beneath the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center.“I am not afraid to invest dollars around that Amtrak station,” Cheriogotis said Tuesday. “I think we generally need a covered station. I am working on a plan that does just that.”The mayor’s comments come after discussions over the city’s fiscal year 2027 budget, at which time he said he hoped Amtrak service would continue beyond the current operating subsidyg subsidy, which expires in two years.His proposal is likely to renew discussion about the city’s financial role in supporting the passenger rail service and whether Alabama should assume full responsibility for future operating subsidies.Amtrak celebrated a 100,000 passenger milestone aboard the Amtrak Mardi Gras Service on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in downtown Mobile, Ala. Picture from left to right is Todd Stennis, director of government affairs with Amtrak; Mobile Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis; and Knox Ross, chairman of the Southern Rail Commission.John SharpCheriogotis, however, said plans for a station should be considered separately from decisions about future operating support.“It is my plan to pursue those (station) plans before the state makes any commitments to Amtrak,” Cheriogotis said. “I will be asking our state to be partners in this.”The Mobile-to-New Orleans route is classified as a state-supported service and is subsidized by Mississippi and Louisiana. Those subsidies are scheduled to expire at the same time as Mobile’s current agreement.In Mobile, a $3.048 million subsidy over three years was split evenly among the State of Alabama, the Alabama State Port Authority and the City of Mobile.While Mobile is not the only community helping support Amtrak operations, it is unusual because the city itself is a direct funding partner. Most state-supported routes rely primarily on state transportation departments or regional rail authorities rather than municipal governments.The city’s participation has long drawn criticism from some elected officials.Former Councilman Joel Daves repeatedly opposed Mobile’s involvement in funding the rail service. Current Councilman Ben Reynolds said he remains concerned about the arrangement.“We are not an endless pot of money at the City of Mobile,” Reynolds said. “We are subsidizing their operation, and we are the only city in the country doing that.”Reynolds said that if there is a desire to build a new facility in downtown Mobile to accommodate the train service, then Amtrak “should build a station.” A train station that once stood at the site of the current uncovered train stop was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. But Reynolds said he could support using freed space under the nearby Convention Center to accommodate Amtrak service. “If we want to free up space at the Convention Center and do a welcome center there, that’s not a lot of money potentially,” Reynolds said. “Maybe there is something there I could possibly get on board with.”Councilman Cory Penn said during Tuesday’s council meeting that unused space near the Convention Center escalator could serve as both a train waiting area and a visitor center.Penn said the current stop offers little protection from the weather beyond a temporary tent.“I brought it to the attention of the administration about that space since Amtrak is doing so well and we don’t have anywhere for the people to wait out the weather if it’s raining or for them to utilize restrooms,” Penn said. “The mayor stated he will be sharing more information about a plan they are working on. I think it’s a need. The (service) has exceeded expectations. We want to make sure once visitors come in, they have the facility to accommodate them.”David Clark, president and CEO of Visit Mobile and a member of the Southern Rail Commission, said the train service has exceeded expectations but cautioned that future investments must be balanced against other city priorities.He noted that a key federal funding source used to launch the Mardi Gras Service, the Federal Railroad Administration’s Restoration and Enhancement Grant program, may not be available or may be reduced when future operating support is considered.“The question is how do you strike the balance on how much you want to spend to build the facility or possibly use the lower part of the Convention Center as an approach to that as well?” Clark said. “You have to be smart with the resources. Mobile has a lot of resource needs. We are working together to see what (those needs are).”Knox Ross, chairman of the Southern Rail Commission, said conversations about long-term funding are already underway.The service generated approximately $5.2 million in revenue during its first year, far exceeding initial projections, he said.Ross acknowledged that the route is unlikely to reach a point where revenue fully covers operating costs after 2028. He noted that Amtrak corridors requiring little or no state support generally serve much larger population centers, such as the Chicago-to-Milwaukee route.For now, Ross said, the focus remains on growing ridership and building on the service’s successful debut year.Among the ideas being explored is a seasonal stop in Ocean Springs to coincide with major events such as the Peter Anderson Arts & Crafts Festival in November.The commission is also looking at ways to market the train as a convenient evening travel option for Mobile-area residents visiting coastal Mississippi communities.“You can take the 4 p.m. train out of Mobile to get to Pascagoula, and have dinner at the Chandeleur (Depot Brewpub), and ride the train back at 8 p.m.,” Ross said. “The way the trains are running, you have 1-1/2 hours to knock around Biloxi and Gulfport. If you go there from downtown Mobile to have dinner in Pascagoula, you can certainly do that.”He added, “We can find these little pieces in there and whole goal is to put passengers in seats.”Amtrak’s Gulf Coast Mardi Gras train exceeds first-year projections, faces facility needsMobile’s Cooper Riverside Park reopens temporarily for July Fourth fireworks eventMilestone: How many riders has Amtrak’s Mardi Gras train served?The Gulf Coast’s hottest Amtrak question: Which city packs the Mardi Gras ServiceRising ridership and risks: Coastal leaders push safety for Amtrak’s popular Mardi Gras Service