Coronado Airport

The primary reason for the closure of Coronado Airport was urban encroachment. During the 1970s and 1980s, the city of Albuquerque experienced rapid suburban expansion, particularly in its northeast heights. Residential neighborhoods were built right up to the airport's perimeter, leading to inevitable conflicts over noise and safety. As the surrounding land became increasingly valuable for real estate, the pressure to close the airport and redevelop the property became overwhelming, making its continued operation economically and politically unfeasible.

The former airport site has been completely redeveloped and is now unrecognizable as an airfield. The land is occupied by a dense residential neighborhood and a public park. The airport's legacy is preserved in the local geography through commemorative naming. The main thoroughfare through the development is 'Coronado Airport Road NE', and the local park is named 'Coronado Airport Park'. Other street names in the subdivision also pay homage to its aviation past, including 'Propeller Avenue NE', 'Tailwind Place NE', and 'Aviation Place NE'.

Established in the mid-1960s, Coronado Airport was a vital general aviation facility for Albuquerque for approximately two decades. It began as a private field but was later opened for public use. At its peak, the airport featured two runways (one paved and one dirt) and was home to a Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) called Coronado Sky-Tel. It was a bustling hub for private pilots, offering services such as flight instruction, aircraft rental, fuel, and maintenance. The airport played a significant role in the local aviation community, serving as a convenient base for recreational flying and business travel in light aircraft before being overtaken by the city's growth.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening Coronado Airport. The land has been fully and permanently redeveloped with housing, streets, and public parkland. The complete transformation of the site into a residential community makes it physically impossible to ever restore aviation operations there.