Is Stuart Damon (Alan Quartermaine) leaving "General Hospital?

believe it was decided that they would not renew his contract so he was killed off in the show. That's ashame because he was one of the original characters and even though they didn't have something for him now they didn't have to get rid of him. There was a huge campaign to keep him but that never seemed to work because it was decided long before the public new anything about it. Terrible decision in my opinion...........