Carowinds is a 407-acre amusement park straddling the North Carolina–South Carolina state line near Charlotte and Fort Mill, with the border marked through its main entrance and a 27-acre water park included with admission. Conceived in the late 1960s as part of a much larger resort led by Charlotte businessman Earl Patterson Hall, it opened on March 31, 1973, after delays and a $70 million construction effort. Although the 1973 oil crisis derailed the broader resort plan, later owners expanded the park with major coasters, water attractions, film-themed areas, and seasonal events. Now operated by Six Flags, it remains one of the Carolinas' best-known amusement parks.