Fans of South Park know all about Denver-area restaurant Casa Bonita and its outdoor fountain. The show’s creators made sure of that by making it one of Cartman’s favorite places. But when the restaurant finally gets reopened it may be missing at least one iconic structure from the infamous episode that sparked interest in its real-life fate last year.
In the summer of 2021, news stories about Casa Bonita drew the attention of South Park showrunners Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The duo had actually featured the Mexican-themed restaurant in an episode, but in real life the COVID-19 pandemic had shuttered the establishment, which was then put up for sale.
Parker and Stone announced their intentions to buy it and followed through later in the year, and what’s followed has been a flurry of renovations and construction with plans to reopen. But that process has apparently cost the Colorado icon its beloved fountain in the process. According to the Denver Post, the fountain outside of the restaurant purchased by the South Park creators had to be demolished due to structural issues. Though the waterfall, according to the report, will be back soon enough:
Following safety concerns from a crumbling foundation, the water feature has been razed but will be rebuilt, according to the Lakewood Planning Department.
A representative for the Lakewood office said the city expects to receive plans soon for a new fountain structure to be built.
The Denver Post story about the razing includes photos of the construction underway at the beloved institution, and it looks like Parker and Stone are making good on their promise to modernize the place and get it back up and running. We’ll have to wait and see what the new fountain looks like as the reimagined Casa Bonita takes shape, but it’s good to see the South Park guys are serious about making a local landmark as good as new once more.
[via Denver Post]