June 2024 Edition

With the official start of summer upon us, activities are heating up on transportation projects and development tied to Cucamonga Station and surrounding areas.

In the coming months, residents and visitors alike will continue to see progress move forward in the region that is driving economic growth. From zero-emissions transportation connectivity to transit-oriented development, local and county government are working together to create a cleaner, brighter future through smart development.

With so much new activity and progress, the outreach partnership team for Cucamonga Station has been working on new content to present to stakeholders across the region. If you'd like to see and hear about the latest developments and new business opportunities tied to transportation development, please email CucamongaStation@CityofRC.us.

On May 30th, Congress Member Norma Torres, and representatives from Greater Ontario California (GOCAL) and the City of Rancho Cucamonga, joined the City Council for a check presentation where Rep. Norma Torres presented the City with $1 million in community project funding to advance the ZEV Circulator project that the City is currently working to develop. ZEV, which stands for Zero Emission Vehicles, is a multi-passenger local circulator and first-last mile e-bike program that connects Cucamonga Station with other regional transit stops and key retail, dining, and residential locations.

The use of ZEVs will help Rancho Cucamonga achieve its climate action goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality. The ZEV circulator is expected to stimulate local economic growth by improving access to business districts and commercial areas.

Consumer demand will increase when the nation’s biggest county adds a major new rail project to the mix of development underway.

The intersection of emerging opportunity and sustainable progress is a good place for retailers. Such a combination is happening in San Bernardino County, America’s largest county by size and the 15th-most populous.

The Inland Empire stronghold will bolster its access and appeal with a first-of-its-kind transportation project and a nearly 10,000-acre master plan development.



“We talk about San Bernardino County’s affordability and for good reason, but I think this chapter of our development will really emphasize the broad growth and economic diversification taking place across the unincorporated areas of the county and all 24 cities,” says Derek Armstrong, director of the San Bernardino County Economic Development Department.

Fast and Forward Development

Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino County’s fourth-most populous city, will serve as the end point for the country’s first high-speed rail link between Las Vegas and Southern California, developed by Brightline West. Called Cucamonga Station, this is where commuters can connect via Metrolink rail to Los Angeles and Ontario International Airport – and to points throughout the world.

“All in one place, the multi-modal transportation hub and enhancements will further elevate the region as a travel and economic destination,” Armstrong says. “There is great excitement about Cucamonga Station.” To read the full article in San Bernardino's County Update, click here.

Story contribution by Brian A. Lee, Globest.com. To view online article, visit globest.com. 

Tourism is a multibillion-dollar enterprise in the Inland Empire, accounting for more than 180,000 jobs and generating nearly a half-billion dollars in tax revenues to support essential services. At the heart of this robust industry sector is Greater Ontario, home to ONT, California’s most popular airport, as well as the Ontario Convention Center, Toyota Arena and the largest number of hotels and restaurants in the IE. Future developments such as the Brightline West high-speed rail system and planned expansion of the Ontario Convention Center will only enhance the region’s marketability. 

Research conducted by GOCAL and Visit California show that travel and tourism spending in San Bernardino County exceeds $5.5 billion, including $1.4 billion in spending at restaurants. Total wages paid within the hospitality sector across the Inland Empire exceed $5 billion per year. Today, hospitality ranks among the Inland Empire’s Top 5 employment sectors, and should reach 200,000 within 3-5 years, experts say. 

Meanwhile, a recent study by Oxford Economics showed that annual spending by visitors traveling through ONT totals $2.7 billion per year, part of the airport’s $3.8 billion in annual economic impact.

ONT recently announced that it expects 2.2 million passengers to use the airport this summer, up nearly 300,000 passengers – or 15% – from a year ago. Ontario has been one of the airport industry’s biggest success stories over the past seven years, with passenger volumes up more than 60%. This year, ONT is adding flights to and from El Paso, Nashville, Houston and Seattle. The airport also is seeing a record number of international travelers, which should only increase with planned expansion of customs services later this year. In its recently published Connect SoCal 2024 Regional Transportation Plan, the Southern California Association of Governments projects passenger volumes of 36 million at ONT by mid-century – nearly six times current levels. 

For GOCAL, the success of ONT further elevates the region’s attractiveness as a premier destination. The region has great recreational assets, wonderful hotels and restaurants. Coupled with entertainment venues such as Toyota Arena and the world-class Ontario Convention Center and a cultural landscape that is attracting residents, businesses and visitors from throughout the world.

And the future is even brighter. With Los Angeles’ hosting of the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics, the arrival of Brightline West’s Las Vegas-to-Rancho Cucamonga high-speed rail service within four years and a projected 25% increase in the Inland Empire’s population between now and 2050, the local hospitality industry is poised for more dynamic growth in the coming years. To read the full release, click here.

Brightline West: The TIME100 Companies of 2024 was recently issued highlighting the most influential companies in the world. Brightline made the list for the company’s efforts on the first true high-speed train in America. Click here to read the profile. 

About our Cucamonga Station Regional Outreach Partners - The City of Rancho Cucamonga, Greater Ontario California (GOCAL), Omnitrans, Ontario International Airport, and San Bernardino County have established a collaborative regional outreach and engagement effort. To learn more, visit www.CucamongaStation.com