Carowinds had a few challenges after it opened 1973. First, they had to help locals in the region understand what the park was all about. Second, they ran head-on into the financial problems of the 70s, mainly the gas crisis and rising inflation. 1974 saw a significant reduction in attendance, resulting in their sellout to Taft Broadcasting for the following season (more on that later). Here’s a bunch of ads from this time period.