The former site of a United States Air Force Base and once the most strategic military position of America in the Far East, Clark, Pampanga, has successfully morphed into a highly developed city within a city. Known today as the Clark Freeport Zone, it currently houses modern infrastructure serving as a major hub for tourism, business, aviation, education, manufacturing, and other leading industries. The robust development—which rapidly started in 1995 after years of neglect brought on by the departure of the US Military and the destructive eruption of Mount Pinatubo—helped the Clark Freeport Zone quickly become the premier leisure, entertainment, and gaming center in Central Luzon.