In the 1990′s, Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, the main airport in this area of the midwest, was experiencing demand that stressed its capacity.
In response, St. Clair County in Illinois built a new airport east of St. Louis, shown in the photo above. It was intended to capture overflow business from Lambert Airport. This idea was fiercely opposed by almost everybody on the Missouri side of the border.
Soon, Lambert Airport began a major expansion, and, at almost the same time, American Airlines bought TWA, which was using Lambert as its hub. American closed the St. Louis hub in favor of Chicago. Suddenly, there was no capacity problem at Lambert, and no need for an overflow airport.
As a result, for years the terminal area at Mid-America looked like the photo below. No passengers, no luggage, no action at the check-in counters. What they did have, though, was piped-in music, playing eerily throughout the empty terminal.
Mid-America turned to providing services to neighboring Scott Air Force Base. From time to time a minor airline has offered a few flights to and from the airport. So far, none have lasted long.
___
Photos by the author.