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'South Park' creators say they're buying Casa Bonita

"Pending bankruptcy proceedings ... we’ve come to an agreement with the owner and we’ve bought it."
Trey Parker, Matt Stone
CASA BONITA.jpg
Posted at 10:18 AM, Aug 13, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-14 01:44:22-04

DENVER – Trey Parker and Matt Stone might be buying Casa Bonita after all.

The South Park creators told Colorado Gov. Jared Polis Friday morning they had reached an agreement pending the outcome of bankruptcy proceedings to purchase the iconic Colorado restaurant featured in Season 7.

“As of about an hour ago, pending bankruptcy proceedings that will have to happen in a couple months, we’ve come to an agreement with the owner and we’ve bought it,” Stone told a surprised Polis.

“It’s such a great day. It’s such a wonderful day. We did it!” Parker yelled as the room celebrated.

Polis was hosting Stone and Parker to discuss the 24th anniversary of the show. The company that owns Casa Bonita filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections earlier this year, seeking to reorganize debt, and closed in March 2020 for food service. The restaurant recently reopened for tours.

“It’s Disneyland in Colorado,” said Liz Vicek, who was on a tour of the restaurant Friday. “It’s a little bit of theater that you get to come and eat at and it’s interesting and it’s fun. … I thought maybe there was a possibility it wouldn’t come back, but I really thought somebody would do something just because of the history of it. It’s such a draw; why wouldn’t you?”

Stone and Parker entered the discussion to buy the Lakewood landmark late last month, breaking the news in The Hollywood Reporter amid a GoFundMe effort by local fans to “Save Casa Bonita.”

“Hopefully they will contact us and include us in whatever the future of Casa Bonita is,” said Andrew Novick, one of the Save Casa Bonita supporters. “…My number one goal is that it never goes away, so if this breathes in funding and life into it, I think that’s great.”

“We also know that there’s a lot of people in Colorado that love Casa Bonita and have been working on it, and so we’re excited to work with everybody and make it the place we all want to make it,” Parker said.

Federal bankruptcy court filings did not show a new agreement had been reached in the case. Records show the next court date in the case is set for Aug. 25.

Bob Wheaton, the president of Summit Family Restaurants, said Friday the ownership groups sees the move “as a win-win.”

“Trey and Matt are extraordinary businesspeople and world-class entertainers, and I think their association with Casa Bonita will be remarkably good for business, Denver and Colorado,” he said. “They’ll be able to do things we wanted to.”

Take an aerial tour through Casa Bonita as it reopens for walking tours, merchandise