Terminal Park Eilat

Terminal Park Eilat (Hebrew: פארק הטרמינל) is an urban park, leisure and entertainment complex located in the heart of Eilat, Israel, on the southern portion of the city's former airport, which closed in 2019 following the opening of Ramon Airport. The park occupies approximately 150 dunams of the roughly 800-dunam old airport site and forms part of a broader municipal plan to redevelop the vacated airfield in the city center. In its first phase, it is intended to serve as a temporary leisure, culture and tourism zone until the permanent long-term development plan for the land is realized. The park opened to the public in stages beginning in December 2023, with development continuing through 2024–2026. Its architectural concept preserves the historic runway as a central pedestrian axis, incorporating visual and landscape elements inspired by aviation. The first phase included a public open space with a 'plane garden' (ganei metosim), lawns, seating areas, two shaded promenades, an amphitheater and a central waterfall wall. Later phases added attractions such as a bumper-car complex, an extreme-activity zone, a small amusement park, food trucks and temporary activity compounds. A key planned component is the 'Terminal Market' (Shuk HaTerminal), a street-food complex of about 2,000 square meters east of the former runway, designed to combine food stalls, concept stores and cultural activities using shipping containers as part of its architectural language. The first tender for the food market was published in 2021, with an estimated construction cost of about 7.2–8 million shekels, but its construction was delayed several times. The park also includes an 'Expo' complex for conferences, fairs, performances and events, which opened partially in 2024 and has hosted municipal events and public activities. Plans were published for event tents and performance compounds, with the northern part of the site intended as a hub for large-scale events. Entry to the park and its public spaces is free of charge, while individual attractions are operated independently and charge separate fees. The park is located at 3 HaArava Street, within walking distance of the central bus station, the promenade, Sderot HaTmarim and some hotel areas. Public spaces are open 24 hours a day, except in exceptional cases, and during summer most attractions typically operate between 19:00 and 01:00. The park's activity is heavily influenced by Eilat's climate, concentrating in the evening hours, transitional seasons and scheduled events. The project has been promoted by the Eilat Municipality through the Eilat Economic Company (Hevrat HaKalkalit Le'Eilat, חכ"א). The planned total investment in the park was estimated at about 300 million shekels, of which about 200 million shekels in public financing and about 100 million shekels in private developer investment. The park's temporary-use status was initially approved for eight years and later extended until 2031. The development has faced repeated delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, regulatory difficulties, legal issues around tenders, rising transport costs, logistical disruptions and the impact of the Iron Swords war on Eilat's tourism industry.

Terminal Park Eilat is an urban park and leisure complex built on the southern part of Eilat's old airport, which closed in 2019 when air activity was transferred to Ramon Airport. For decades the old airfield had served as a physical buffer between the hotel and promenade area and the city's inner districts. Its evacuation was seen as a wide-ranging planning opportunity for the redevelopment of central Eilat. According to the municipal plan, the vacated airfield was divided into three main zones: a northern area for employment, a central area for housing, vacation and public buildings, and a southern area initially designated for temporary use as a leisure, tourism and entertainment complex called 'Terminal Park'. In October 2020, parts of the airfield fences were demolished and cross streets were paved, reconnecting the city center with the tourism area. This was considered one of the first and most significant steps in developing the vacated airfield and restoring the urban continuum from west to east. The area sits in the Eilat salt marsh (melacha) system characteristic of the southern Arava. Already in the mid-2010s, the Eilat Municipality promoted plans for the future development of the old airport site, based on the assumption that air activity would move to Ramon Airport. The park's planning was entrusted to the architectural firm Derman-Verbkel Architecture. In 2020, the municipality, through the Eilat Economic Company (Hevrat HaKalkalit Le'Eilat, חכ"א), published a first tender for operating tourist attractions in the southern part of the vacated airfield. At that stage the project was presented as an investment of about 170 million shekels, on about 70 dunams for the attractions compound itself, alongside adjacent public and commercial areas. Later, according to a Haaretz report, the total planned investment in the park was estimated at about 300 million shekels, of which about 200 million shekels in public financing and about 100 million shekels in private developer investment. According to 2024 publications, the park's planning also relied on a process of public participation and focus groups held after the airfield's evacuation, in which a preference emerged for an open public space in the city center combining strolling areas, shade, community activity, events and both paid and free attractions. The architectural design of the park is based on preserving the runway's route and converting it into a central walking axis, while incorporating visual elements inspired by the world of aviation. According to the original plan, the park's development was divided into three stages: in the first stage, an open public park was established including paths, seating areas and an amphitheater; in the second stage, attractions compounds, a food market and leisure hubs were planned; and in the third stage, cultural institutions including a performing arts center were planned. The park is based on a plan for temporary uses in the southern part of the vacated airfield. Initially these uses were approved for eight years, and later the temporary uses were extended until 2031. The park's temporary status affects the nature of development on the site. The land is designated in the long term for permanent development including housing, hotels, employment and public areas, and therefore permanent buildings in the compound were restricted. In planning discussions it was emphasized that apart from the terminal building, which is to be preserved, there is no intention to erect new permanent buildings in the park. In 2023–2024 it was also raised in planning discussions that the southern part of the vacated airfield is seen as an area of strategic importance to the city, and that any future planning there would need to preserve a visual connection between the city, the Gulf of Eilat and the Eilat Mountains. The promotion of the park was accompanied by repeated delays. Among the factors cited were the COVID-19 pandemic, regulatory difficulties, legal issues around the tenders, rising transport costs and logistical disruptions, and later the impact of the Iron Swords war on the tourism industry and economic activity in Eilat. In February 2022, claims were raised by council member Yaniv Hanu regarding a lack of transparency and lack of full approval by the city council for the tender procedures published on the vacated airfield site, and regarding the authority of the Eilat Economic Company to publish tenders on behalf of the municipality. In June 2022, development works on the site were halted after claims arose that they were being carried out without full building permits and without a start-work approval. The works were later resumed after the permits were regularized with the Israel Land Authority and the required approvals were completed. In December 2023, the first stage of the park opened to the public. This stage included the initial public area, with a plane garden, lawns, seating areas, two shaded promenades, an amphitheater and a central waterfall wall. In July 2024, it was reported that extensive infrastructure works had been carried out on the site, including underground infrastructure, large pergolas, tree planting, the construction of an amphitheater and ornamental gardens. In summer 2024, the first attraction in the park began operating, a bumper-car complex, initially as a 'soft launch' and later with an official opening. In 2025, activity in the park was expanded, and it hosted events, workshops, family activities, street performances and film screenings, alongside leisure and food hubs that had already opened. According to descriptions published in 2024–2025, the park spans about 150 dunams and is divided into three main areas: a southern area with open spaces, paths and gardens; a central area where leisure hubs and attractions are concentrated; and a northern area planned for large-scale events and festivals. The architectural design is based on preserving the runway and walking on it as a central axis, alongside a graphic and landscape language inspired by aviation. Among the components planned and built in various stages: the plane garden, amphitheater, waterfall wall, long pergolas, tree avenues, seating areas and shaded spaces. As of 2025, several facilities and attractions operated in the park, including a bumper-car complex, an extreme-activity area, a small amusement park, several food trucks and temporary activity compounds. Alongside these, a public activity program was operated including street performances, workshops, film screenings and community events. The nature of use in the compound is also influenced by the city's climate, and activity is largely concentrated in the evening hours, transitional seasons and scheduled events. An 'Expo' compound was also established in the park area, intended for conferences, fairs, performances and events. According to 2024 publications, the compound opened partially and was used for municipal events, conferences and public activities. In addition, plans were published for event tents and performance compounds in the park, with the intention of turning the northern part of the compound into a hub for large-scale events. One of the main components in the park's planning is the 'Terminal Market', a street-food compound planned to span about 2,000 square meters, or about 2 dunams, east of the former runway. The compound was designed to combine food stalls, concept stores and cultural and leisure activities, using shipping containers as part of its architectural language. The first tender for the food market was published in 2021, and at that time its construction cost was estimated at about 7.2–8 million shekels. However, its construction was delayed several times. According to 2026 publications, only at that stage did it begin...

• 2026

  According to publications, construction of the Terminal Market begins only at this stage.

• 2025

  Activity expanded with events, workshops, family activities, street performances and film screenings.

• 2024

  July: extensive infrastructure works reported, including underground infrastructure, large pergolas, tree planting, amphitheater and ornamental gardens.

• 2024

  Summer: first attraction, a bumper-car complex, begins operating, initially as a soft launch.

• 2024

  Expo compound opens partially, used for municipal events, conferences and public activities.

• 2023

  December: first stage of the park opens to the public, including plane garden, lawns, seating areas, two shaded promenades, amphitheater and waterfall wall.

• 2022

  February: claims raised by council member Yaniv Hanu regarding lack of transparency in tender procedures.

• 2022

  June: development works halted over missing building permits; later resumed after regularization.

• 2021

  First tender for the Terminal Market food complex published; estimated construction cost about 7.2–8 million shekels.

• 2020

  Parts of the airfield fences demolished and cross streets paved, reconnecting city center with tourism area.

• 2020

  Eilat Municipality, through the Eilat Economic Company, publishes first tender for tourist attractions in the southern part of the vacated airfield.

• 2019

  Old Eilat airport closes; air activity transferred to Ramon Airport.

A free-entry municipal urban park and entertainment hub in central Eilat, combining open public space, paid attractions, food and culture on the site of the former city airport.

• Plane Garden (Gan HaMetosim)

  A garden area featuring aircraft elements, part of the first stage of the park.

• Amphitheater and Waterfall Wall

  Central public gathering spaces in the first stage of the park.

• Bumper Car Complex

  The first paid attraction in the park, opened in summer 2024.

• Extreme Activity Zone

  An area for extreme sports and activities, operating as of 2025.

• Small Amusement Park

  A small amusement park operating in the park as of 2025.

• Food Trucks

  Several food trucks operating in the park.

• Terminal Market (Shuk HaTerminal)

  A planned street-food complex of about 2,000 sqm east of the former runway, combining food stalls, concept stores and cultural activities using shipping containers.

• Expo Eilat

  An event complex for conferences, fairs, performances and events, opened partially in 2024.

1. 1פארק הטרמינל אילת | Terminal Park Eilatterminalpark.co.il
2. 2Terminal Park Eilat - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3פארק הטרמינל - Wikipedia (Hebrew)he.wikipedia.org