After already dropping $3.1 million to purchase Casa Bonita, a beloved Mexican restaurant in their hometown, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are reportedly spending more than four times that amount in renovations. According to plans, permits, and photos obtained through an open records request in Lakewood, Colorado, Parker and Stone are dropping over $12 million to restore the restaurant to its former glory after years of neglect.
Via 9NEWS:
For the most part, the plans indicate the iconic elements inside Casa Bonita such as the dive pool, Black Bart’s Cave and seating areas will undergo repairs and improvements to match the original feel of the restaurant.
Yet the kitchen and bathrooms are undergoing substantial renovations while audio and visual elements are being improved, such as new projectors, loudspeakers, lighting, and security cameras throughout the restaurant.
The South Park creators are also dropping a significant amount on better accessibility for Casa Bonita. The duo are building ramps, adding a new vertical platform lift, and clearing space for “increased accessible seating.” In short, they’re not sparing any expense in bringing Casa Bonita back to life even though they’ve fully admitted that the situation is a “nightmare” and taking on the project was “really dumb.”
During a recent interview, they revealed that the previous owners did nothing to bring the building up to code, and that’s required the South Park duo to basically redo everything including razing and reinstalling Casa Bonita’s iconic fountain.
“The previous owners deferred maintenance in an almost superhuman way,” Stone told The Denver Post. “They just didn’t take care of anything. And they ran it completely into the ground.”
(Via 9NEWS)