Bacolod City Domestic Airport

The airport was closed because it was strategically replaced by the new, larger, and more modern Bacolod-Silay Airport (IATA: BCD, ICAO: RPVB). The primary reasons for the replacement were:
1. **Urban Encroachment:** The old airport was located directly within Bacolod's growing city center, making future expansion impossible.
2. **Runway Limitations:** Its runway was too short (approximately 1,956 meters) to safely accommodate larger, wide-body aircraft required for international flights or increased domestic capacity.
3. **Safety and Noise:** The proximity to residential and commercial areas posed increasing safety and noise pollution concerns.
4. **Modernization:** The new airport was built to modern standards with a longer runway, a larger terminal building, and capacity for both domestic and international flights, supporting the economic growth of the province.

The site has been completely and permanently redeveloped. The former airport land was acquired by property giant Ayala Land and has been transformed into a major mixed-use, master-planned community called 'Capitol Central'. The area where the runway, taxiways, and terminal once stood now hosts the Ayala Malls Capitol Central, the Seda Capitol Central hotel, corporate centers housing BPO companies, residential condominiums, and various commercial establishments. The main road traversing the development follows the path of the former runway, serving as a reminder of the site's aviation history.

For over six decades, the Bacolod City Domestic Airport was the primary and sole air gateway for Bacolod City and the entire province of Negros Occidental. It was a crucial piece of infrastructure, vital to the region's economy, especially the prominent sugar industry, as well as business and tourism sectors. It was classified as a Class 1 principal (major domestic) airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. The airport handled daily flights from major national carriers like Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific, connecting Bacolod to key hubs such as Manila and Cebu. Operations were primarily conducted using narrow-body aircraft like the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, as well as various turboprop aircraft. Its official ICAO code was RPVB and its IATA code was BCD, both of which were transferred to the new Bacolod-Silay Airport upon its opening.

There are zero prospects for reopening the site as an airport. The land has been irrevocably converted to high-value commercial and residential use. All aviation infrastructure has been demolished and replaced by the new urban development. All air services for Bacolod and the province of Negros Occidental are now fully and exclusively handled by the Bacolod-Silay Airport, which is located about 15 kilometers northeast of the city.