TAMPA -- As Florida flashed its ceremonial smile, officials pursuing a regional bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics provided details of a comprehensive transportation plan along the Interstate 4 corridor and beyond to members of a national evaluation team, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

The plan includes an overhaul of the state's transportation system that will feature rapid-transit buses, high-speed rail, Amtrak, and also high-speed watercraft between Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Although Florida voters approved a multibillion-dollar high-speed rail system linking the state's five largest cities last year, questions about funding and the route remain unanswered.

"Without a doubt, the one place where there is a degree of viability for it [high-speed rail] is the I-4 corridor between Orlando and Tampa," Gov. Jeb Bush said Friday. "That fits the Olympic plans very well."

A nine-member United States Olympic Committee evaluation team began a two-day tour of 33 projected venues after lunchtime. The process continues this morning when they commute by bus to several Orlando locations.

Orlando is one of Tampa's regional partners in an effort to bring Florida its first Olympics. The USOC Board of Directors will name its international candidate city in October of 2002.

The morning's closed-door presentations -- focusing on transportation, general and sports infrastructure, and general housing and village plans -- laid the foundation for the Florida group competing against seven other cities for the Games.

"I suspect there will be a lot of questions about high-speed rail," said Ed Turanchik, Tampa 2012 president and chief executive officer. "How does it work? How does it connect? Where would it go to? They are all practical questions."

Another practical question organizers said they addressed was putting up $175 million in financial backing that essentially covers any losses stemming from the Olympic effort. The USOC requires the agreement from all competing bid cities.

Bush gave state Rep. Randy Johnson, R-Celebration, credit for marshaling the funding guarantee through the Legislature this year.

Later, Johnson challenged local officials to make their own financial commitments to bolster Florida's Olympic hopes. Some portion of local tourist-tax dollars should be spent on "a people-mover" system along International Drive, he said.

Johnson, who chairs a key transportation appropriation committee in Tallahassee, stopped short of endorsing a controversial light-rail effort along I-Drive, saying such a system could be a bus or trolley system, as well.

Such a venture makes sense now, however, because it aids the Olympic bid effort, yet would remain in place to move the millions of tourists around, he said.

"Local government is going to have to step up," Johnson said.

Orange County Chairman Rich Crotty said it's too early to make any promises, adding, "It's possible there could be some local matching-dollars opportunities" if enough Olympic revenues flow to the county.

After the news conference announcing the state's financial backing, Friday's tour of the Tampa Bay area began with stops at Tropicana Field, MacDill Air Force Base and the Florida State Fairgrounds.

During the final stop Friday -- the St. Petersburg Bayfront Center -- the USOC team was greeted by clapping children dressed in the ceremonial costumes of various countries. Three age-group wrestlers sat in front of a table on stage. One of the boys was asked a question, but his answer wasn't audible because the microphones in front of the group didn't work.

"You found the chink in our armor," Turanchik said.

"We have 12 years to fix it, so we'll be OK," said Jose Rodriguez, managing director of the Tampa 2012 bid committee.

Despite the staged photo ops opportunities, it is the substantive clout of Tampa 2012's three-volume bid document that ultimately will decide the state's potential to step onto a worldwide stage.