Houston Gulf Airport was a single-runway airport located in eastern League City, Texas, United States.Ward, Mike. "Bin Laden relatives have ties to Texas." Austin American-Statesman. November 9, 2001. Its FAA code was SPX and its IATA code was also SPX.
History The airport opened in 1967 as the Spaceland Airport, a name related to the Johnson Space Center, located about 4 miles north of the airport.
A businessperson named James R. Bath purchased the airport on behalf of Salem bin Laden in 1977. Bath received a 5 percent interest in the companies that own and operate the airport.Thompson, Alastair. " George W. Bush And Harken Oil - Recovered History." Scoop. Thursday 7 March 2002. Salem bin Laden owned the airport for six years before his death in 1988."Ampersand!." The Signal & Urbanite. October 30, 2001. News Page Three. After Salem bin Laden died, the airport, now owned by his estate, was for sale.Romei, Stephen. "Bin Laden family firm feels heat - WAR ON TERROR." The Weekend Australian. Saturday September 29, 2001.
The airport was scheduled to close on April 1, 2002. A coalition of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and some local pilots created a campaign asking for the City of League City to acquire the airport from its owner."AOPA works to save Houston Gulf Airport." Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Retrieved on November 19, 2008. The airport's land was sold and the land became a string of houses along Texas State Highway 96.Rendon, Ruth. "Fees could slow growth / Developers expected to balk at League City plan." Houston Chronicle. Sunday November 2, 2003. A29 MetFront. The group of houses are part of a 2,000-house community called Tuscan Lakes.Bivins, Ralph. "Galveston County will get new community." Houston Chronicle. Sunday January 18, 2004. Business 6.
References
External links
Aerial photo as of 15 January 1995 from USGS The National Map