March 31, 1973
The new state-straddling, Disneyland-lite park dedicated to the Carolinas was scheduled to open in 1972 after breaking ground in 1970. The weather had something to say about that, though, and so things were pushed back a year. Finally on Saturday, March 31, 1973, Carowinds proudly braved a dismal, rainy day and swung open the gates to an enthusiastic, under-sized crowd.
Forces immediately played havoc with the park—terrible economic conditions and a national gas crisis were a direct hit, reducing attendance figures to the point where the park couldn’t pay its substantial construction loans. Like many other regional parks, Carowinds had been highly leveraged with no deep pockets that could help weather any storms. By the close of the second season they were in serious trouble, forced to sell to Taft Broadcasting (Family Leisure Centers), which was able to invest in the park and keep it afloat.
But for a certain young 6-yr-old, none of that behinds-the-scenes stuff mattered. Walking across the bridge straddling the state line, watching the steam locomotive pull into the station just below, standing aside as the bright red trolley rolled by...well, that was pure magic. Being there that first season captivated my imagination and hooked me for life on parks. Fourteen years later I got to work in the entertainment department; I mean, who would ever want to sling burgers when you could wrap up the final show of the day and just stroll around the park, taking in the sights and sounds, catching a coaster ride from time to time. I've still got my glossy, beautiful souvenir map from 1973. It's no wonder my passion these days is focused on preserving the rich history and stories behind parks like these. Writing and publishing books is allowing me to do what I love while hopefully offering a good service to the industry. Let's do more!
Anyhow, Carowinds has had its ups and downs, undergone many changes (and owners), but is looking awfully bright and shiny here in its Golden Anniversary. Thanks to the attention (and money) lavished on the park by Cedar Fair, E. Pat Hall’s great dream lives on.
For more stories about the early years of Carowinds, check out the following:
