Could the President of El Salvador be losing his faith in the Bitcoin City project? The project, which was first introduced back in 2021, was hailed to be one of the most avant-garde projects in the world.

Three years after it was first introduced, President Bukele has been relatively silent on the developments and the progress of this project... Until now.

New Developments after years of silence

El Salvador announced some new developments today: the construction of the long-awaited Pacific Airport, which was originally promoted as the gateway to Bitcoin City.

The airport will be built in the La Unión region, near Conchagua Volcano, the proposed site for Bitcoin City's volcano-powered Bitcoin mining operations.

During the inauguration event, President Bukele was seen laying the foundation stone for the airport. But to the surprise of many Bitcoin advocates, there was no mention of Bitcoin City during the 40-minute ceremony.

When the idea of the idea of the Bitcoin City was first pitched in November 2021, it was described to be a tax-free haven for Bitcoiners worldwide who would never need to pay income tax, property tax, or local taxes, with VAT as the only levy. And the airport would be a crucial piece of the puzzle to support the city's vision.

Bukele announced that phase one of the airport would include two gates and accommodate 300,000 passengers annually, with completion expected by 2027.

Future phases would expand capacity to 18 gates, allowing the airport to serve up to 5 million passengers per year. The project comes with an initial $320 million investment, with Bukele projecting it will create 50,000 jobs over the next decade and contribute 1.5% to the country’s GDP growth annually.

A Shift Away from Bitcoin City?

While Pacific Airport was initially linked to Bitcoin City, officials avoided discussing the ambitious Bitcoin-themed metropolis during the event. This omission has led to speculation that the government is distancing itself from Bitcoin City, which has seen little progress since its 2021 announcement.

Spanish-language media outlet Criptonoticias highlighted the shift, stating:

“This airport, originally announced in 2018, is now moving forward. However, Bitcoin City—once tied to the project—remains in uncertainty with no clear deadlines or tangible progress.”

Despite the lack of Bitcoin City updates, Bukele remains committed to Bitcoin itself. Earlier this week, El Salvador’s National Bitcoin Office added 7 BTC to the country's reserves, purchasing at an average price of $94,050 per coin.

While Pacific Airport moves forward, the Bitcoin City dream remains in limbo, leaving many wondering whether it will ever become the crypto haven Bukele once promised.