Carowinds is one of the most beloved theme parks on the East Coast — a 407-acre thrill destination that sits right on the border between North Carolina and South Carolina, near Charlotte.
Fourteen roller coasters, a massive water park called Carolina Harbor, and a location that technically puts you in two states at once — it is a genuinely unique place. But who actually owns it? The answer runs through one of the biggest corporate mergers in theme park history and a company that now runs more parks than anyone else in North America.
Who Owns Carowinds Right Now in 2026?
Carowinds is owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation — the largest regional amusement park operator in North America, trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker NYSE: FUN. Six Flags came to own Carowinds through its 2024 merger with Cedar Fair, the company that had operated the park since 2006.
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN) is a publicly traded company, meaning no single individual owns it outright. Its market capitalization stands at approximately $1.6 billion as of August 2026, with total revenues of roughly $2.7 billion on a trailing twelve-month basis.
The current President and CEO is John Reilly, who took the role on December 8, 2025, succeeding Richard Zimmerman.
Ownership and Key Stakeholders Table
| Owner / Party | Role | Stake | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN) | Direct Owner of Carowinds | 100% of Carowinds | Formed July 1, 2024 via merger of Cedar Fair and Six Flags; largest NA regional park operator |
| Institutional Investors (combined) | Public Shareholders | Majority of NYSE: FUN | Widely held public stock; no single controlling shareholder |
| John Reilly | President & CEO | ~298,000 shares personally | Appointed December 8, 2025; bought ~16,000 additional shares in August 2026 |
| Dick Haddrill | Executive Chairman | Board role | Appointed March 25, 2026; former CEO of Bally Technologies |
| Cedar Fair L.P. | Previous Owner (Historical) | Exited via merger July 1, 2024 | Owned Carowinds from 2006 to 2024; merged into Six Flags |
| Paramount Parks / CBS Corporation | Previous Owner (Historical) | Exited 2006 | Sold Carowinds and other parks to Cedar Fair for ~$1.24 billion in 2006 |
| Taft Broadcasting / Kings Entertainment Company | Previous Owner (Historical) | Exited 1992 | Owned Carowinds through the 1970s and 1980s |
| Carowinds Corporation | Original Owner (Historical) | Founded the park | Local investor consortium led by E. Pat Hall; opened the park March 31, 1973 |
The Origin Story: A Carolina Dream from 1969
Carowinds was not built by a corporate giant. It was the vision of a Charlotte businessman named E. Pat Hall, who conceived the idea of a major regional theme park on the Carolina state line and announced the project on October 10, 1969.
The concept was ambitious for its time: a large-scale destination theme park straddling the North Carolina–South Carolina border, built to serve the entire Southeast. Construction began, but weather delays pushed the opening back repeatedly.
The park finally opened its gates to the public on March 31, 1973, under the Carowinds Corporation — a consortium of local Charlotte investors. Admission was $3.50 for adults. Initial rides were themed around Carolina history and culture.
Just two years in, the original Carowinds Corporation went bankrupt — unable to sustain the enormous capital costs of running a theme park at scale. In 1975, Kings Entertainment Company (KECO) stepped in and purchased the park through a forced buyout.
The Paramount Era: Hollywood Comes to the Carolinas
The 1990s brought one of the most memorable chapters in Carowinds’ history — the Paramount era. In 1992, Paramount Communications acquired Kings Entertainment Company, which included Carowinds in its portfolio. The following year, the park was rebranded as Paramount’s Carowinds, and everything changed.
Paramount brought its Hollywood intellectual property to the park — Nickelodeon, Top Gun, Days of Thunder, and other Paramount film and TV brands were woven into the rides and theming. The brand passed to Viacom when Viacom acquired Paramount Communications in 1994, and then to CBS Corporation after Viacom split in 2005.
CBS had no interest in running theme parks and put the entire Paramount Parks portfolio up for sale. In 2006, Cedar Fair purchased all five Paramount Parks — including Carowinds — for approximately $1.24 billion. The name immediately reverted from Paramount’s Carowinds back to simply Carowinds.
Cedar Fair Takes Over: 2006 to 2024
Cedar Fair — the Ohio-based amusement park company that also ran Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio — owned and operated Carowinds for nearly two decades. During that time, the park grew significantly.
The Fury 325 roller coaster, which opened in 2015, became one of the most celebrated coasters in the world — standing 325 feet tall and reaching speeds of 95 mph, it held the record as the tallest and fastest giga-coaster on Earth for several years.
Cedar Fair invested consistently in Carowinds, adding new coasters, expanding Carolina Harbor water park, and improving the overall guest experience. The park became one of Cedar Fair’s strongest performers outside of its flagship Cedar Point.
The Six Flags Merger: How Carowinds Got Its Current Owner
The defining corporate event in Carowinds’ recent history came on July 1, 2024, when Cedar Fair and the former Six Flags Entertainment Group completed a landmark merger, creating a combined company that kept the Six Flags name.
It was one of the most significant deals in theme park industry history — bringing together two of North America’s largest regional amusement park operators under one roof.
Under the deal, Cedar Fair investors received one share in the merged company for each unit they owned, giving them approximately 51.2% of the combined entity.
Former Six Flags stockholders received slightly more than half a share for each of their shares, controlling the remaining 48.8%. The new company — Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN) — was initially headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, partly because of Carowinds’ local significance.
That Charlotte headquarters did not last long. In August 2026, Six Flags announced it was relocating its corporate offices to Arlington, Texas — where it already had significant operations — with the transition expected to complete by March 2027. Carowinds itself stays exactly where it has always been, straddling the Carolina state line.
Carowinds in 2026: What Is New
Six Flags has confirmed it will continue investing in Carowinds and Carolina Harbor despite the headquarters move. The most significant upcoming addition is Rip Roarin’ Falls — described as a record-breaking new attraction — which is on track to open in 2027.
Details about the ride remain under wraps, but Six Flags has been publicly enthusiastic about it in investor communications.
Carowinds currently operates 14 roller coasters as of 2026, making it one of the most coaster-dense parks in the Southeast. The combined Carowinds & Carolina Harbor branding was also refreshed with a new joint logo in 2026, reflecting the park’s evolution into a full dual-destination venue.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who owns Carowinds in 2026?
Carowinds is owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN), the largest regional amusement park operator in North America.
Q2. When did Six Flags acquire Carowinds?
Six Flags became the owner of Carowinds on July 1, 2024, when it completed its merger with Cedar Fair, the company that had owned the park since 2006.
Q3. When did Carowinds first open?
Carowinds opened on March 31, 1973, built by the Carowinds Corporation — a local investor consortium led by Charlotte businessman E. Pat Hall.
Q4. Did Paramount ever own Carowinds?
Yes. Paramount Communications acquired Carowinds in 1992, and the park was rebranded Paramount’s Carowinds until Cedar Fair bought it from CBS Corporation for ~$1.24 billion in 2006.
Q5. Is Six Flags publicly traded?
Yes. Six Flags Entertainment Corporation trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol NYSE: FUN with a market cap of approximately $1.6 billion as of August 2026.
Q6. Who is the current CEO of Six Flags in 2026?
John Reilly is the President and CEO of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, appointed December 8, 2025, succeeding Richard Zimmerman.
Q7. Is Six Flags moving its headquarters away from Charlotte?
Yes. In August 2026, Six Flags announced it is moving its corporate headquarters from Charlotte to Arlington, Texas, with the transition expected by March 2027. Carowinds stays in Charlotte.
Q8. What is new at Carowinds in 2026?
Six Flags is developing Rip Roarin’ Falls, described as a record-breaking new attraction, on track to open at Carowinds in 2027.
Carowinds is owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN) — a publicly traded company formed on July 1, 2024 through the merger of Cedar Fair and the former Six Flags Entertainment Group.
No single individual controls the company; it is broadly held by institutional and retail investors on the New York Stock Exchange. CEO John Reilly, who took over in December 2025, has been buying the stock personally — a sign of confidence in the business’s direction.
The park itself has a rich history dating back to 1973, passing through the hands of local investors, Kings Entertainment, Paramount, CBS, Cedar Fair, and now Six Flags — each era leaving its mark on one of the Southeast’s most enduring entertainment destinations. Rip Roarin’ Falls in 2027 is the next chapter.
