I should add that there is a reallocation process, and flight activity does play a role. The airport authority will come after your gate if they think it could be put to better use elsewhere. The airline has the opportunity to make the case for itself. The airport authority will also "strongly encourage" airlines that hold certain gates to at least free up a slot for a new airline in that gate's schedule when they need to.

Again, this is through the grAApevine, but as I understand it, during the normal reallocation process that happens every so often, somebody dropped the ball, and gate 26 went away. I've been unable to determine with absolute certainty if "dropping the ball" means not getting gate needs to the airport authority on time, or failing to fight the airport authority when you need to. The loss of the gate led to the loss of Alaska as AA couldn't work it's own flights and AS without all the gates. Again, grAApevine, but I tend to believe this one. I think the current schedule will work with one less gate as long as everything is running perfectly. But as we all are keenly aware, it doesn't take much to throw things off kilter with an airline.