[MarkD]

... Not sure if anyone else has noticed, but they are working on some MAJOR plumbing behind the bus parking lot, that really makes me think something is in the works for plot of land they picked up recently out near the interstate.

Thoughts?

I think the construction you see is not part of Carowinds. Arby pointed that out when it was thought a road was being constructed.
http://carowindsconnection.com/viewtopic.php?p=90386#p90386

[FamousAmos]

I think it is some sort of new waterlines being installed through several properties.

[KIJester]

Carowinds' number one, love it or hate it, competition is Concord Mills.

I really don't think that's true. I know Concord Mills loves to brand itself as the most visited "attraction" in the state but it's such a dubious claim to lump malls in with entertainment items. They can claim such high "visits" because someone walking in for five minutes to buy a shirt at Banana Republic counts as a visitor. Concord Mills and Carowinds are not alternatives for one another. Has any family ever debated whether they should take the kids to Carowinds for the day or to go shopping? Yes, Concord Mills does have entertainment elements, but they are very much secondary to shopping which is the primary draw. They compete with each other in that both want to get a piece of people's limited discretionary spending, but they aren't in any sort of direct competition.

Let's also consider the fact that brick and mortar retail is on the decline due to an increasing on-line presence. The retail apocalypse has descended on America. Here is a twitter post from C-Store News/Business Insider just last week......

Granted a lot of these stores are not in Concord Mills, however the tide is turning and fast I'm afraid.