Atlantic City Municipal Bader Field

The airport was closed primarily for economic and real estate development reasons. By the 2000s, it was operating at a financial loss for the city of Atlantic City. Its prime waterfront location made the 143-acre site extremely valuable for potential redevelopment projects. Furthermore, most commercial and significant aviation traffic had long since moved to the larger, more modern Atlantic City International Airport (ACY), leaving Bader Field to serve mainly general aviation, which was not enough to sustain its operations.

The site is currently a large, mostly vacant tract of waterfront land. The original airport terminal and hangars were demolished in 2016. The land is intermittently used as a venue for large-scale special events, such as concerts (e.g., Orion Music + More festival), festivals, and car shows. A minor league baseball stadium, formerly known as The Sandcastle and now called Surf Stadium, was built on a portion of the property in 1998 and remains on the site, though its use has been inconsistent. The majority of the former airfield, including the runways, is undeveloped.

Bader Field holds a significant place in aviation history. Opened in 1910, it is considered one of the first airports in the United States. The term 'airport' itself is widely credited to have been coined here in 1919 to describe the facility, which was the first in the nation equipped to handle both landplanes and seaplanes. During its active years, it was a crucial hub for general aviation, serving private pilots and tourists flying into the resort city. It was also the founding location and first national headquarters for the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) in 1941. While it once handled some scheduled passenger flights, these services eventually consolidated at the larger Atlantic City International Airport (ACY). Its FAA identifier was AIY.

There are no plans or realistic prospects for reopening Bader Field as an airport. The operational role has been fully absorbed by Atlantic City International Airport (ACY). The land's high value, its location surrounded by urban development, and the city's desire for tax-generating redevelopment make a return to aviation use highly improbable. The site has been the subject of numerous ambitious but unrealized redevelopment proposals over the past two decades, including plans for casinos, luxury housing, entertainment complexes, and a Formula One racetrack. Its long-term future remains a topic of ongoing debate and planning within Atlantic City.