hoped the park and series would mutually build each other's audiences. Dogpatch USA was profitable in its first few years, and Odom expanded the park's amenities. By the 1970 opening day, a motel consisting of 60 mobile-home units had been completed, and a funicular to carry guests from the parking lot to the park entrance was a few weeks away from completion. In 1971, Odom, who foresaw unlimited potential for the park, bought out most of the remaining investors for $700,000 and became, essentially, the owner. Several new attractions were added in time for the 1972 season opening, including an "Animal World" section with a sea lion exhibit and an aviary with exotic birds, a children's water ride, and, as stated by the Harrison Daily Times, a "unique boat train ride." In August 1972, Odom announced that he was financing the construction of a sister park, Marble Falls Resort and Convention Center, which was the first ski resort in Arkansas. The two parks were marketed together as a year-round attraction. The resort was ready for the Christmas season of 1972, though a winter storm prevented it from opening until after Christmas. The resort used snow machines to produce enough snow for skiing; the anticipated skiing season was December to mid-March. Marble Falls Resort and Convention Center included ski slopes, a toboggan run, an ice-skating rink, the 62-unit Marble Falls Inn, 36 condominiums, and 30 rental alpine chalets, though the condos and chalets weren't completed until after the initial opening. Odom also opened the Antique Auto Museum as part of the Marble Falls complex. Odom also continued to expand Dogpatch, USA. New attractions during the 1973 season included a go-cart track named Pappy Yokum's Positively Petrifying Putt-Mobiles, a scrambler called Joe Btfsplk's Impending Disaster Machine, a shooting gallery called Scraggs Feudin' Range, a black light maze, and a swinging bridge. The Kissin' Rocks sculpture was also newly installed for the 1973 season. In 1974, more new attractions were added, including the thrill ride Hairless Joe's Kickapoo Barrel, an inflatable "bouncing bag," a replica Native American village, and craft shops where artisans demonstrated pottery making, leather working, and woodworking. Success seemed to be on the horizon for Odom and Dogpatch USA, but the many unforeseen events of the 1970s cast a dark shadow on Odom's dreams. Attendance figures throughout that decade were woefully short of expectations. In 1973, interest rates began to