Carowinds raises seasonal hourly pay to compete for workers amid hiring shortage

Carowinds is boosting seasonal hourly pay to compete for workers amid a labor shortage.

The amusement park, owned by Cedar Fair in Ohio, raised the starting pay for seasonal workers to $15 per hour, the company said in a news release Monday. Most seasonal jobs had previously paid $10 to $13 per hour.

“As we’re seeing across a wide range of industries, the availability of labor continues to be a challenge,” Manny Gonzales, Carowinds vice president and general manager, said in a statement. “In order to attract and retain our associates, it has become clear that we need to raise our starting pay for these roles.”

The news comes just weeks after Carowinds said it would delay the opening of Carolina Harbor water park until June 12 citing the worker shortage. The 400-acre park that straddles North and South Carolina in Charlotte and Fort Mill, respectively, reopened Saturday after missing last season because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Carowinds said last month it also is offering $500 bonuses for employees hired by the end of the May. Several other businesses in the Charlotte area also are trying to attract more hires with incentives of up to $1,000 as most coronavirus restrictions end.

The park said last month it would hire 900 part-time positions. It now plans to hire another 500 workers to meet expected customer demand this summer season, according to the news release.

Jobs available are in areas of food and beverage, merchandise and games, security and at the park’s hotel, SpringHill Suites Charlotte at Carowinds.

Carowinds spokeswoman Lisa Stryker previously told the Observer the park also is promoting perks like free admission to any Cedar Fair park, discounts and employee recognition programs.

This story was originally published May 24, 2021 at 12:10 PM with the headline "Carowinds raises seasonal hourly pay to compete for workers amid hiring shortage."