Virgin Trains USA, formerly Brightline, closed on the sale of $1.75 billion in private activity bonds that will help fund the company's expansion to Orlando, according to a statement issued Friday.

Morgan Stanely was the underwriter for the transaction, which Virgin officials called "one of the largest (private activity bond) transactions to date," involving 67 different investors.

On April 5, the Florida Development Finance Corporation, a state agency that supports economic development, approved $950 million in tax-exempt bonds, adding to the $1.75 billion in bonds it approved last year.

By closing on the sale, Virgin Trains USA has the financing required to begin construction for service to Orlando, "including 170 miles of new track to a state-of-the-art intermodal facility located in the new South Terminal at the Orlando International Airport," theThis week, city councillors vote on a motion that could begin to bring one of Toronto’s most unusual buildings back to life.

The Hearn Power Generating Station was opened in 1951 to provide electricity for the fast-growing Toronto region.

The building — almost as big in volume as the Rogers Centre — once housed 8 giant turbine generators used to produce power. Everything about the Hearn is larger than life — the smokestack itself is 700 feet tall — so high that east-bound jets taking off from the island airport are forced to climb steeply to clear the smokestack.

City councillors are voting on a motion to have the city manager prepare a detailed report about the services and costs involved to turn the Hearn into a sports, cultural and mixed