Carowinds is a 400-acre (160 ha) amusement park, located adjacent to Interstate 77 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The park is located on the border of North and South Carolina, with a portion of the park also located in Fort Mill, South Carolina. The park opened on March 31, 1973, at a cost of $70 million. This was the result of a four-year planning period spearheaded by Charlotte businessman Earl Patterson Hall, who was inspired to build the park by a 1956 trip to Disneyland and a dream of bringing the two states closer together. Owned and operated by Cedar Fair, whose headquarters are located within the park, Carowinds also features a 27-acre (81,000 m2) water park, Carolina Harbor, which is included with park admission. The park has a Halloween event called SCarowinds and a winter event called WinterFest.
