General Carowinds discussion
By LoveMeSomePrunes
#103672
super7 wrote:The warehouses on the Frontier Outpost side of the park have creeped up very close. There is little left of the wooded berm between them and the park.

It is a shame that the park doesn't have more acreage. It has really allowed Charlotte to encroach and takes away from the overall feeling of the park.


Where is Thunder Road 2 going to be able to be built someday (wishing)?

That's one reason I LOVE Kings Dominion. Still surrounded by a huge wooded berm, away from most of reality. Plus a majority of the park is very shaded during the hot VA summer. You can't even really see I-95 from the tower. Just a truck stop, a burger king and a few hotels across from the park, and a few factories off in the distance. Its wonderful.


More acres at KD, but more $ from Cedar Fair for Carowinds. I think I prefer having the park with greater investment & emphasis from the parent company than having a few hundred acres around in VA that will never be used.
By uscbandfan
#103673
coasterbruh wrote:The Coliseum is standing because classes are held there and it is still used a lot (graduation etc . . .). Not because it will cost too much to demolish. USC is a powerhouse and if they really wanted it gone, it would have been gone. Money is not an issue.



Yes, it is used... and will continue to be. Because it's there. You're not going to let a building just sit dormant although most of it is most of the time. They have buildings they can move classes to (renovating one just across the street). They're also using the bottom floor as a basketball practice facility and graduations haven't been held there since that was completed a few years ago... they're now at Colonial Life. .. and money IS an issue.

I can't remember the study... but the current plan to renovate the coliseum, to add a expansive new student union, offices, new classrooms, basketball practice facilities and possibly a University Hall of Fame is listed at about $120 million or so (maybe more by now since this study was several years ago before the practice facilities were done). A the time, the cost to raze the building, haul away the debris and then do new construction for those amenities was WELL above $120 million. That is my point and THAT, according to the study I read, is exactly why they decided to not raze the building.

The same can be said about the Paladium. If you have room elsewhere, why spend the money to raze it when you can put that money into your new investment?

Of course if USC wanted the Coliseum gone, it would be gone. But obviously they don't want it to be (largely because of the expense). If Carowinds wants the Paladium gone, then it will be gone as well.
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By coasterbruh
#103676
uscbandfan wrote: and graduations haven't been held there since that was completed a few years ago...

High school . . .
By uscbandfan
#103682
coasterbruh wrote:
uscbandfan wrote: and graduations haven't been held there since that was completed a few years ago...

High school . . .



Correct. High School graduations are now held at the Colonial Life Arena and have been since the new basketball practice facilities have been installed. NO graduations are being held at the Carolina Coliseum anymore.

This past year's graduation schedule for example...
Thursday, May 31
Swansea High School: 4 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena.

Friday, June 1
Lexington High School: 8 a.m. at Colonial Life Arena.
White Knoll High School: Noon at Colonial Life Arena.
Gilbert High School: 4 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena.
Batesburg-Leesville High School: 7 p.m. at Panther Stadium, 338 W. Columbia Ave., Batesburg-Leesville.

Saturday, June 2
River Bluff High School: 8 a.m. at Colonial Life Arena.
Pelion High School: Noon at Colonial Life Arena.

Monday, June 4
Brookland-Cayce High School: 8 a.m. at Bearcat Stadium, 1300 State St., Cayce.
Westwood High School: 8 a.m. at Colonial Life Arena.
Ridge View High School: Noon at Colonial Life Arena.
Spring Valley High School: 4 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena.

Tuesday, June 5
Airport High School: 8 a.m. at Eagle Stadium, 1315 Boston Ave., West Columbia.
Blythewood High School: 8 a.m. at Colonial Life Arena.
Richland Northeast High School: Noon at Colonial Life Arena.
C.A. Johnson High School: 4 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena.

Wednesday, June 6
Eau Claire High School: 8 a.m. at Colonial Life Arena.
A.C. Flora High School: Noon at Colonial Life Arena.
Columbia High School: 4 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena.

Thursday, June 7
Keenan High School: 8 a.m. at Colonial Life Arena.
Lower Richland High School: Noon at Colonial Life Arena.
Dreher High School: 4 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena.

Friday, June 8
Dutch Fork High School: 8 a.m. at Colonial Life Arena.
Irmo High School: Noon at Colonial Life Arena.
Spring Hill High School: 4 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena.

Saturday, June 9
Chapin High School: 8 a.m. at Colonial Life Arena.
By Capler
#103686
super7 wrote:The warehouses on the Frontier Outpost side of the park have creeped up very close. There is little left of the wooded berm between them and the park.

It is a shame that the park doesn't have more acreage. It has really allowed Charlotte to encroach and takes away from the overall feeling of the park.


Where is Thunder Road 2 going to be able to be built someday (wishing)?

That's one reason I LOVE Kings Dominion. Still surrounded by a huge wooded berm, away from most of reality. Plus a majority of the park is very shaded during the hot VA summer. You can't even really see I-95 from the tower. Just a truck stop, a burger king and a few hotels across from the park, and a few factories off in the distance. Its wonderful.


Once upon a time Carowinds was just like Kings Dominion and was out in the middle of nowhere with lot of acreage available. The problem is, they did not secure all that was available. I don't know how true it is, but I've read that Carowinds and Kings Dominion are about the same size, it is just configured differently. Parking can be pushed out further to utilize space. Didn't the park have shuttles from the parking lot to the front gate at some point? They really need it now because that walk to the south gate area is a beast at the end of the day.
By dirkdiggler1992
#103699


These charts are always fun to look at, you can see the amount of developed/developable acreage each park in the chain has available to work with. Crazy to think Kings Island can virtually double its park size, meanwhile there are those who are so determined to have Vortex (KI) to disappear.

Edit: I know what the numbers say but damn if KD doesn’t feel much more spacious. Just take the Midway/Dominator/Snoopy areas and that feels nearly 50% of Carowinds park space.
By dirkdiggler1992
#103701
pproteinc wrote:Wait!! Valleyfair was acquired in 78? Wow.


That’s where the name Cedar Fair came from (Cedar Point + Valleyfair), the original two parks under the Cedar Fair name.
By sorashaun
#103712
dirkdiggler1992 wrote:7870A037-0125-4691-A2ED-81AD22D1D776.png

These charts are always fun to look at, you can see the amount of developed/developable acreage each park in the chain has available to work with. Crazy to think Kings Island can virtually double its park size, meanwhile there are those who are so determined to have Vortex (KI) to disappear.

Edit: I know what the numbers say but damn if KD doesn’t feel much more spacious. Just take the Midway/Dominator/Snoopy areas and that feels nearly 50% of Carowinds park space.


Something is off about this. There is no way Cedar Point is 625 acres and King’s Dominion is 740. Unless I’m just not reading it right.
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By cwgator
#103713
^It's correct. The acreage used (515) includes not only the park boundaries, but all the resorts and off site facilities (including Sports Force Center).
By sorashaun
#103725
cwgator wrote:^It's correct. The acreage used (515) includes not only the park boundaries, but all the resorts and off site facilities (including Sports Force Center).


That's believable for Cedar Point, but King's Dominion? No way.
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By cwgator
#103729
KD has a lot of unused land surrounding the park. Some is across the Doswell Road to the east, and quite a bit south of the water park. It also includes areas already in the normal park borders that have not been developed.
By Christopher Mallis
#103740
Here are my thoughts
Attachments
Orange=coaster red=camp snoopy Black=parking lot borders. The area at intimidators lift with the parking lot is to just even it out and hey could have more storage stuff out there. Not all of the coaster space should be used so their is still room for camp snoopy future expansions.
Southern star being removed? Leaving or staying?
Honestly thrill zone just needs a complete redesign it’s kinda hard to put anything there without moving drop tower around
By sorashaun
#103742
cwgator wrote:KD has a lot of unused land surrounding the park. Some is across the Doswell Road to the east, and quite a bit south of the water park. It also includes areas already in the normal park borders that have not been developed.


KD (the park) is 400 acres developed and undeveloped. Where is the other 340 acres coming from? That’s almost double the space.
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By tarheel1231
#103743
Kings Island is going to announce the removal of one of their attractions, and given that there's a wreath with the colors of Firehawk on it, many are speculating that the flying dutchman may be on its way out.

We'll see what happens, but if it's true, fingers crossed :D I enjoy Nighthawk, and I'm one of the first people to defend it on here, but given that I almost never get to ride it, I wouldn't shed a tear if they replaced it with something better. If Kings Island removes Firehawk, I hope Carowinds isn't far behind.