KEY POINTS
- Casa Bonita, a Mexican restaurant that inspired a South Park episode, is set to reopen in the coming weeks.
- South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have spent $59 million renovating it.
- It features cliff divers, waterfalls, and caves.
It's a restaurant that featured cliff divers, waterfalls, caverns and caves, and even inspired an episode of South Park — and the animated sitcom's creators are giving it a new life.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone told the they have poured more than US$40 million ($59.3 million) into renovating Casa Bonita — a 4,830 square metre Mexican restaurant that opened in Denver, Colorado, in 1974.
The restaurant operated for more than four decades before it fell into disrepair and went bankrupt in 2020.
The pink, castle-like establishment had a buffet-style service and served thousands of people a day. While many were critical of the quality of the food, the restaurant was a go-to for children's birthday parties.
Indeed, its popularity among children was illustrated in a 2003 episode of South Park.
When Eric Cartman finds out Kyle Broflovski will invite another friend, Butters Stotch, to his birthday party at Casa Bonita because of his bullying, he is crushed.
Desperate to attend, he fakes an apology for his behaviour which Kyle accepts and tells Cartman if for some reason Butters can't attend, he can take his place.
Cartman convinces Butters that a meteor is about to hit the earth and hides him in a bomb shelter. When Kyle postpones the party to continue searching for Butters, Cartman moves him to another location to buy more time.
Casa Bonita inspired an episode of South Park. Source: YouTube / Comedy Central
"Well kid, you made an entire town panic, you lost all your friends, and now you're going to juvenile hall for a week. Was it worth it?" a policeman asks him.
"Totally," Cartman responds.
Casa Bonita features cliff divers, waterfalls, caverns and caves. Source: Getty / Hyoung Chang/Denver Post
In many ways, the restaurant will look the same but refreshed.
Scott Shoemaker, who has overseen the renovations, told the New York Times the fake trees have been touched up, and the facade will still be pink (it took more than 20 attempts to get the right shade).
"And the food is excellent," Mr Parker told the New York Times.
Trey Parker (left) and Matt Stone pictured in 2013. The creators of South Park have spent $59 million renovating Casa Bonita. Source: AAP, AP / Joel Ryan
Chris Brion, the creative director of South Park and Casa Bonita, told the newspaper that Black Bart had been portrayed as a "cross between a weird pirate and a bank robber".
But under the new owners, he will be based on a stagecoach robber, which is what the American outlaw from the 1800s was known for.
Casa Bonita is expected to re-open in the coming weeks.
