Rail Forum In Asheville

[sax184]

You are cordially invited and asked to attend a

STATE LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON EXPANDING RAIL SERVICE FOR NORTH CAROLINA

(PASSENGER AND FREIGHT)

Friday, April 7, 2006

10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Crowne Plaza Resort

One Holiday Inn Drive

Asheville, NC 28806

The House Select Committee on Expanding Rail Service will be meeting in Asheville to discuss enhancements to North Carolina's rail system, including the extension of passenger rail service to Asheville and other cities and towns along the Western North Carolina rail corridor.

Passenger train service and the improvements associated with the extension of service will have a positive impact on:

Economic Development

Tourism Development

Community Revitalization

Job Creation

Traffic Congestion

Air Quality

The meeting will be attended by the eighteen state legislators who are members of the Committee, by other members of the North Carolina Generall Assembly, by officials with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, by mayors of cities and towns along the western rail corridor, by area business leaders and community leaders, and by other leaders and citizens from across the state. The Committee will be welcomed to Asheville by Mayor Terry Bellamy.

The meeting is sponsored by AdvantageWest, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Crowne Plaza Resort.

We look forward to seeing you on April 7 to show support for the extension of passenger rail service to Asheville and Western North Carolina. Please notify other interested individuals and organizations.

MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE ON EXPANDING RAIL SERVICE:

Rep. Louis M. Pate, Jr. (Co-Chairman)

Rep. Raymond C. Rapp (Co-Chairman)

Rep. Margaret H. Dickson (Vice Chairman)

Rep. Cary D. Allred

Rep. Becky Carney

Rep. E. Nelson Cole

Rep. Beverly M. Earle

Rep. Rick L. Eddins

Rep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield

Rep. D. Bruce Goforth

Rep. Melanie Wade Goodwin

Rep. Mark K. Hilton

Rep. Earline W. Parmon

Rep. Deborah K. Ross

Rep. Fred F. Steen II

Rep. Bonner L. Stiller

Rep. Ronnie N. Sutton

Rep. Thomas Wright

DIRECTIONS TO THE CROWNE PLAZA RESORT IN ASHEVILLE:

FROM NORTH OR EAST

Coming from Hickory; Winston/Salem; Greensboro; Raleigh:

Travel west on I-40. Take Exit 53 to I-240 West. Pass downtown Asheville. As

you cross the French Broad River Bridge, stay in the right lane and take

Exit 3B (Westgate and Holiday Inn Drive). After passing the Westgate

Shopping Center on your right, you will see the Crowne Plaza entrance sign.

Turn right onto Holiday Inn Drive and proceed to the main entrance.

>From the Johnson City, TN area: travel south on Highway 19/23 (I-26 East) to

I-240 West. Stay in the right lane as you cross the French Broad River

Bridge and take Exit 3B (Westgate and Holiday Inn Drive). After passing the

Westgate Shopping Center on your right, you will see the Crowne Plaza

entrance sign. Turn right onto Holiday Inn Drive and proceed to the main

entrance.

FROM SOUTH OR WEST:

>From Asheville Regional Airport, Greenville/Spartanburg, SC; Columbia, SC:

Travel west on I-26. Follow signs for I-240 to Asheville. Stay in the left

lane and take Exit 3A. Circle around right and exit onto Patton Avenue. Turn

right at the second light into Regents Business Park (between Dennys and

Pizza Hut). It will turn to the right; the Crowne Plaza entrance sign is on

the immediate left. Follow Holiday Inn Drive past the golf course to the

main entrance.

>From the Knoxville, TN area: travel east on I-40. Take Exit 46 (left exit)

for I-240 East. Continue on I-240 and stay the left lane. Take Exit 3A.

Circle around right and exit onto Patton Avenue. Turn right at the second

light into Regents Business Park (between Dennys and Pizza Hut). It will

turn to the right; the Crowne Plaza entrance sign is on the immediate left.

Follow Holiday Inn Drive past the golf course to the main entrance.

[orulz]

Hmm.

Maybe I can swing a day off work for this one...