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Carowinds to remain closed for rest of the year

Carowinds amusement park will remain closed for the remainder of the year, company officials announced Tuesday.

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Kathy Hanrahan, Out
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carowinds amusement park will remain closed for the remainder of the year, company officials announced Tuesday. 

The park, located in Charlotte, was unable to open this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was set to open for the season on March 21 but was delayed due to a statewide stay-at-home order. 

“We are disappointed that we are unable to welcome our guests back to the park this season,” Carowinds' vice president and general manager Pat Jones, said. “The safety of our guests and associates is always our top priority. Although we have done our due diligence in developing a comprehensive safety plan in accordance with industry and public health standards, the continued uncertainty in our region brought by COVID-19 leads us to the difficult yet responsible decision to keep the park closed for the rest of the year. We look forward to a great 2021 season with new rides, attractions, and entertainment for the whole family. We thank our guests and associates for their continued loyalty and support during this challenging time.”

The park had reportedly hoped to reopen in the summer. During a gathering of statewide elected officials in June, N.C. Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry asked Gov. Roy Cooper about a plan to reopen the park . At the time, the governor was non-committal. The Department of Health and Humans Services later said that state health officials  asked Carowinds to work with their local health department as they developed protocols to re-open the park. Berry's office said the park was targeting a June 29 re-opening.

In addition to its busy summer season, Carowinds also transforms for Halloween and WinterFest events each year. Those events are also canceled.

The park was set to debut some new attractions this year, including one that involved water.
Season Passes for 2020 and any add-on packages purchased will be honored in 2021. All 2020 Season Passholders will also receive a Pass Perks Loyalty Reward card that can be used for purchases within the park next season. 

Day tickets sold for the 2020 season will be valid through Sept. 6, 2021. Pre-K Passes registered for the 2020 season will be valid through 2021.

Season Passes for 2021 go on sale Sept. 8, 2020.

For guests missing their favorite rides, the park has a collection of videos taken while riding several of its famous coasters on its YouTube channel.

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