Starting in 2014, Cubs fans can bring a little Wrigleyville to St. Louis -- at least that’s what Gov. Quinn insisted at a press conference to announce a $685 million agreement to begin construction on the next phase of the a rail project connecting the two major Midwest cities that will help Chicago move toward becoming the epicenter of high speed rail service in the country. And although it was held at an Amtrak railyard in Chicago Tuesday, you’d think it was at a sports bar considering all the references to sports rivalries between the two cities.

This part of the federally funded project -- which includes the $42 million in funds Illinois recieved that were rejected by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Ohio Gov. John Kasich -- will create an estimated 6,200 direct and indirect jobs. Illinois is also vying for some of the $2.4 billion Florida Gov. Rick Scott recently rejected, something Quinn called “very shortsighted.” When put on the spot for an answer on the state’s chances of getting even more money, Federal Railroad Administration administrator Joe Szabo said applications for Florida money had not been reviewed. 

Project construction started in September between Alton and Lincoln with $98 million worth of track upgrades. This next phase, to start on April 5, will focus on the stretch between Lincoln and Dwight and is using $1.2 billion in federal funding and $42 million in state capital funding, according to a release from the governor’s office. Of the federal grant money, $650 million will go to contractors;  Quinn used the appearance to encourage minority-owned businesses to compete for the contracts at the upcoming “Chicago Business Opportunity Fair” hosted by Union Pacific on April 20 at Navy Pier.

Serving as the press conference's MC, Quinn took a jab at Gov. Walker when he elaborated on future routes that would include Rockford and the Quad Cities in Iowa. Milwaukee may also be a new route, Quinn said, with a “new governor” in place. Quinn also ribbed U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin for his downstate allegiance to the St. Louis Cardinals, to which Durbin conceded that he was a fan of all three area Major League Baseball teams in no particular order. Watch their comments from the press conference here: