Rioverde, MX 🇲🇽 Closed Airport
MX-2511
-
3281 ft
MX-SLP
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 21.9631° N, -100.0077° E
Continent: NA
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: MM14
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Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
16/34 |
3390 ft | 40 ft | ASP | Active |
Approximately mid-2010s. The closure was not a single event but a gradual process. The airport fell into disuse due to a lack of maintenance and traffic, and by the early 2010s, it was widely considered abandoned and unsafe for regular operations before being officially decommissioned.
The airport was closed primarily due to economic non-viability and obsolescence. Its infrastructure, including a relatively short runway (approximately 1,500 meters) and basic facilities, was inadequate for modern commercial or larger private aircraft. The cost of maintenance and necessary upgrades was not justified by the low volume of traffic. The facility deteriorated over time, becoming unsafe and ultimately being superseded by plans for a new, more capable airport in the region.
The airport is permanently closed to all air traffic. The physical runway, taxiway, and apron are still visible on satellite imagery but are in a state of severe disrepair, with faded markings and vegetation growing through cracks in the pavement. The site is now unofficially and intermittently used as a venue for local community and recreational events, most notably amateur drag racing ('arrancones'), car shows, and driver training.
Rio Verde Airport was the primary air access point for the 'Zona Media' (Middle Zone) of the state of San Luis Potosí for several decades. Its operations were crucial for the region's economy, focusing on:
- **General Aviation:** Serving private pilots and business travel.
- **Agricultural Aviation:** Supporting the region's significant agricultural industry (citrus, tomatoes, etc.) with services like crop dusting and aerial surveying.
- **Air Taxi and Charter Services:** Providing on-demand flights connecting Rioverde with larger cities like San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, and Mexico City for business executives, government officials, and occasional tourists visiting nearby attractions like the Media Luna lagoon.
There are no plans or prospects for reopening the old Rio Verde Airport. All government and private sector efforts are focused on the construction of a new, modern airport for the Zona Media region. The state government of San Luis Potosí has advanced this project, acquiring land and beginning preliminary work for a new facility designed to handle commercial passenger and cargo flights to boost tourism and agricultural exports. The old airport is considered fully obsolete and will be permanently replaced by this new development.
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