General Carowinds discussion
#51766
So if I am correct, 2013 marks the parks 40th birthday. This expansion announcement is in my opinion, a great birthday present. I knew that the 40th birthday would be more than Dinosaurs Alive. I can't wait, I wish there was a time machine. :D. I wonder if this project will include a giant hurler bonfire to celebrate.
#51767
TrojanCamMan wrote:Well, part of the 50 million is going toward the campground. . .

The project is being done by Hendrick Construction. The same group that was in charge of the Cobra, and the Grove.


Interesting find... I guess the resort will be built in the campground area instead of next to the interstate then?
#51769
Doesn't the Camp Wilderness Lodge already exist (there's something on the official site about it but it won't load on my phone)? I think maybe the construction company just hasn't updated their site. I don't think they would post something before the park announced it.
#51775
The key thing to remember is that most of the investment will be on the NC side of the park. Whether that be rides, resorts, concession stands, games, etc... This kind of locks in where the expansion will happen I would think.

Here's how I see the $50million being spent...
Year 1
-New parking lot on the new land as well as the grass area in front of the entrance. This would make Avenue Of The Carolinas the main entrance and exit road for the park.
-Entrance makeover like Cedar Point alebit with a Southern flair.
Year 2
-New medium sized coaster and a family flat or two in the North end of the now old parking area. The access road under Intimidator's first drop makes a perfect pathway into the new area.
Year 3
-Waterpark expansion into the area beside the South Gate and Thunder Road. I'd love to see the South Gate being converted to a dedicated water park only entrance like Kings Island has and a new access road from Carowinds Blvd be built that leads to some of what's left of the old parking lot for this purpose, but I'm betting the South Gate will go bye-bye with the bigger, newly renovated front gate that can handle bigger crowds.

Once all of that is complete it gives the park plenty of room to expand into what's left of the current parking lot which more than doubles the size of the park as it stands now. I figure a new hotel near the campground (utlities and a seperate road are already there) and a big new coaster behind the Hurler/Sky Coaster/current bus parking area before they continue to expand into the new area in the old parking lot.

Wishful thinking? Maybe. I keep having to remind myself that $50M over three years averages out to be roughly $16.5M a year which is more than Dollywood is averaging a year with their $300M/10 year plan (half of that will be spent on the resort leaving $150M for the parks for 10 years.) And even then, if you factor Carowind's plan as if it were a 10 year plan you get $167M verses Dollywood's $150M!

In reality, I'm betting that most of the $50M will be spent on things that will not excite rabid enthusiasts: Infastructure. Then once the 3 year plan has gone we will return to a more normal yearly investment with a few biggies thrown in every few years just like every other park out there. Only difference? Carowinds will have a damn good skeleton to build it on thanks to a wise $50M investment. :-)
#51777
The key thing to remember is that most of the investment will be on the NC side of the park.


Why do you say that? Because the Charlotte Chamber announced it? I think that's making a big leap to conclusions. I don't think Charlotte is concerned about whether things are physically built in North Carolina or South Carolina. They are probably more interested in regional economic drivers that come from having the park as a tourist draw.
#51778
A quote from this link:

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/c ... nds/nZctj/


"At the Charlotte Chamber Board of Advisers meeting, Cedar Fair said it plans to add new rides and attractions on land, on the North Carolina side of the park in Charlotte as well as more concessions and games."

You have a point though... Maybe the Cedar Fair folks were just saying "North Carolina" because they were in Charlotte? But again... The South Carolina side has seen a lot of action over the last several years. Maybe Cedar Fair thinks the park was becoming to lopsided and want to balance it out some? Or it could just be that most of the main infastructure work (parking lot, entrance, etc) is mostly on the North Carolina side?
#51790
Jarsh wrote:The key thing to remember is that most of the investment will be on the NC side of the park. Whether that be rides, resorts, concession stands, games, etc... This kind of locks in where the expansion will happen I would think.

Here's how I see the $50million being spent...
Year 1
-New parking lot on the new land as well as the grass area in front of the entrance. This would make Avenue Of The Carolinas the main entrance and exit road for the park.
-Entrance makeover like Cedar Point alebit with a Southern flair.
Year 2
-New medium sized coaster and a family flat or two in the North end of the now old parking area. The access road under Intimidator's first drop makes a perfect pathway into the new area.
Year 3
-Waterpark expansion into the area beside the South Gate and Thunder Road. I'd love to see the South Gate being converted to a dedicated water park only entrance like Kings Island has and a new access road from Carowinds Blvd be built that leads to some of what's left of the old parking lot for this purpose, but I'm betting the South Gate will go bye-bye with the bigger, newly renovated front gate that can handle bigger crowds.

Once all of that is complete it gives the park plenty of room to expand into what's left of the current parking lot which more than doubles the size of the park as it stands now. I figure a new hotel near the campground (utlities and a seperate road are already there) and a big new coaster behind the Hurler/Sky Coaster/current bus parking area before they continue to expand into the new area in the old parking lot.

Wishful thinking? Maybe. I keep having to remind myself that $50M over three years averages out to be roughly $16.5M a year which is more than Dollywood is averaging a year with their $300M/10 year plan (half of that will be spent on the resort leaving $150M for the parks for 10 years.) And even then, if you factor Carowind's plan as if it were a 10 year plan you get $167M verses Dollywood's $150M!

In reality, I'm betting that most of the $50M will be spent on things that will not excite rabid enthusiasts: Infastructure. Then once the 3 year plan has gone we will return to a more normal yearly investment with a few biggies thrown in every few years just like every other park out there. Only difference? Carowinds will have a damn good skeleton to build it on thanks to a wise $50M investment. :-)




I agree with you on this plan. I think its almost obvious of the new road and parking lots by now, its just a matter of where will it all be routed etc. Hoping that means new booths for parking and everything, and definitely a different SP parking that is better set up than it is now! The only thing that I could see that might be tweaked would be a WaterPark expansion before a new coaster, but I could see the water park expand AND some flat rides of some sort. Still waiting for that HUSS frisbee infront of intimidator themed as a tire :lol:
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