Cincinnati-Blue Ash Airport

The closure of Cincinnati-Blue Ash Airport was primarily due to economic and urban redevelopment reasons. In 2007, the City of Blue Ash, which had owned the airport since 1988, announced plans to close it to redevelop the 130-acre property into a central park and mixed-use development. The city council believed that re-purposing the land would generate greater long-term economic benefits, create a community centerpiece, and increase property values more effectively than continuing airport operations. Despite significant opposition from the general aviation community, including the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the airport's largest tenant, Sporty's Pilot Shop, the city proceeded with its plans. The decision was not due to a major accident, military conversion, or operational failure, but was a strategic choice by the city for land-use redevelopment.

The former airport site has been completely transformed into Summit Park, a 130-acre world-class public park developed and operated by the City of Blue Ash. The runway, taxiways, and hangars have been removed. The park now features a Great Lawn for concerts and events, a community building, restaurants, an ice skating rink in the winter, a large playground, walking trails, and a prominent 153-foot observation tower that offers panoramic views and pays homage to the site's aviation past. Summit Park has become a major regional destination for recreation and community gatherings, successfully fulfilling the city's vision for the redevelopment.

Opened in the 1920s as Grisard Field, Blue Ash Airport (FAA LID: I67) was a vital general aviation hub for the Cincinnati metropolitan area for over 80 years. It served a diverse range of operations including corporate aviation, private pilot flights, extensive flight training, and aircraft maintenance. The airport was famously the home of Sporty's Pilot Shop, a world-renowned company founded there in the 1960s that provides pilot supplies, training courses, and educational materials to a global audience. The airport was a designated reliever airport for the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), helping to alleviate congestion by accommodating smaller aircraft. It was a community landmark, hosting airshows and events that fostered local interest in aviation. Its closure represented the loss of a significant piece of Cincinnati's aviation infrastructure and history. (Note: The ICAO code US-11528 is a non-standard identifier; its official FAA location identifier was I67).

There are zero prospects for the airport to reopen. The land has been permanently and completely redeveloped into Summit Park. The aviation infrastructure, including the runway and support facilities, has been entirely demolished and replaced with park amenities, buildings, and extensive landscaping. The transformation is irreversible, and the site's current use as a major public park is firmly established.