Everything else goes here, including discussion of parks outside of Carowinds and any off-topic discussion
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By tarheel1231
#98984
Update as of 4/12/18:

The Big Rivers and Gator Bayou website has been re-launched and updated to feature information about the attractions. http://bigriverswaterpark.com/

The parks open June 29, though the slide complexes won't be ready until the fall. Gator Bayou is open year-round, and it looks like they're doing some sort of Holiday Event from November-January (Winter in the Woods).

The official park map has been released:

Image
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By tarheel1231
#99459


Construction on the wave pool has started, the slide pieces for the Rain Fortress have arrived, and construction on the accompanying adventure park has started.
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By tarheel1231
#107616
So it looks like the water park opened back in May: https://bigriverswaterpark.com/

I’ve been thinking: if the actual theme park gets off the ground, what are the chances that Cedar Fair purchases the property? Honestly, a lot of the things they’re doing line up with CF’s investment strategy, like the adjacent sports complexes and resort development. CF has also shown a desire for geographic diversity, and they’ve already purchased two Schlitterbahn parks in the same state. It would be interesting to see what they could do when building a park from the ground up.
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By coasterbruh
#107622
How long have they been "building" that amusement park? I think Cedar Fair saw the longevity in schliterbaun but to be as forthcoming to up and purchase a park that wouldn't have the time frame to prove itself is a risk to me.
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By tarheel1231
#107623
The risk might just be worth it. The Houston MSA is over 2x larger than Charlotte's, with no full-sized amusement parks within 3 hours of Grand Texas' location. Houston is the largest untapped market in the United States, it seems like they could at least consider it.
By Coasterphreak
#107919
I could see it happening in five to ten years if the park proves to be financially viable, but Cedar Fair seems to be fairly conservative about expanding their portfolio unless they feel it's a sound investment. It's one of the traits I really appreciate about the company, actually, because it means we keep getting cool rides instead of tiny additions like Six Flags.