Draft:Earl Patterson Hall

Earl Patterson Hall Sr. (March 28, 1921 - November 9, 1978) was an American real estate developer, businessman, politician, and entrepreneur. Hall is best known for being the mastermind behind Carowinds, a 407-acre amusement park that straddles the border North and South Carolina.

Earl Patterson Hall was born in Charlotte, North Carolina on March 28, 1921. Hall was one of 10 children, the sixth of seven boys. E. Pat Hall joined the army in 1942 at the age of 21. He had graduated from Oakhurst High School In Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1938; he graduated after 11th grade since he lived in Mecklenburg County (at the time, students who lived in the county graduated in 11th grade, while students from the city of Charlotte continued through 12th grade). He had a series of jobs, including working at a Belk department store, before joining the army at the height of World War II.

Arrowood Inc (1958-1965)
In 1958, a group headed by Mr. Paul Younts (then president of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce) and local officials approached congressman Charles R. Jonas to see if the government would release the property for sale and development. Finally, the United States Navy released it and turned it over to the General Services Administration who authorized it to be sold. On February 9, 1959, the General Services Administration accepted a bid from a group of 11 Charlotte area investors including Alex Shuford, owner of Shuford Mills, Henderson Belk of the Belk retail family, and businessman-entrepreneur Pat Hall. Their original bid of $1,800,000 was rejected, but after several months of negotiation, a bid of $2,010,000 was accepted. After they were advised that they were the successful bidders, the following persons purchased a 20% stake in the property at 5% each: Edward Krock, Edward Krock Industries; Victor Muscat; R. L. Huffines, Jr., Cherokee Securities Corp.; and Frank G. Binswanger, Frank G. Binswanger Co. However, within the next five years, Alex Shuford had purchased all these interests as well as that of Henderson Belk. Pat Hall remained an investor and became the project manager assisted by Funderburk, who left the civil service so he could remain in Charlotte.

Carowinds (1969-1974)
Hall had taken a trip to Disneyland in 1955 and immediately thought the Carolinas needed a similar recreational complex, not for the money, but for the people he empathized that not one of the Carolinas needed this, but both. Hall spent the next 14 years visiting any open amusement park around the world to get ideas. On October 10, 1969 Hall disclosed his plan to the Carolinas for a $250 Million amusement park and resort complex which would be adjacent to Interstate 77. The 900 acre planned site was secured by real estate consultants of Rock Hill, South Carolina. It was unique in the fact that the land was to be divided between the North and South Carolina state line. The construction of the park was to be divided into 4 phases.