Trey Parker and Matt Stone of the now fabled show “South Park” took on a rebuild of Casa Bonita in Lakewood out of nostalgia for the pink colored restaurant-entertainment center on West Colfax. They also took on Paramount, the media conglomerate, over the “South Park” property, winning a $1.5 billion jackpot for streaming rights and production to 2030.

In their fuss with Paramount, the two “middle-of-the-road” satirists objected to how the conglomerate’s big-time lawyers and negotiators interfered with South Park streaming rights negotiations. They hired “pit bull” lawyer Bryan Freeman to represent their interests, and they won.

Here in Denver, Parker and Stone have soaked up praise for their Casa Bonita resurrection. The restaurant is not so much famous for its food as for its high-dive exhibitions, puppet shows, magic and other lively entertainments. Patrons for decades have thrilled at the 16-foot heave off the showroom’s highest cliff outcrop into the exotic pool below. Guests love to get splashed by pool water from the divers’ cannon balls and occasional belly flops, leaving partiers shaking off water as they move through the restaurant’s entertainments.

This joy and memory bank comes at a price. Many employees sought their jobs at Casa Bonita because they have great memories of the place. As these employees know, their guests can represent four generations of patrons, from little ones to the most aged seniors, seeking that lifetime thrill.

These employees, servers, bussers, bartenders, hosts, entertainers and show attendants have delivered Casa Bonita moments for up to 3,500-plus customers per day since the restaurant’s full opening in 2024. Yet many of them live on the edge and likely cannot afford the $16 margaritas on offer at the bar. There’s even a GoFundMe account for an employee who worked at Casa Bonita for more than 50 years since it first opened in the 1970s. He was “let go,” apparently because restaurant management wouldn’t provide accommodation for his disability.

Problems occurred early on in the re-opening when staff were hired for full-time employment, but the restaurant’s delayed start date put a multiple week pause on work. That disaster was followed by wage disruption when the restaurant decided to go tipless, and then flipped back to the tip world. Wikipedia reports Casa Bonita workers make $30 per hour, but that is currently incorrect for most of the frontline entertainment staff who, make from $21 per hour to $26 per hour with health insurance benefits if they work enough.

For many guests, the entertainers are the raison d’être of Casa Bonita, which is not to dismiss the cheery efforts of harried food-service staff. The day-to-day work for employees has turned so unsettling every group of front-of-house employees has undertaken the arduous task of completing two union elections, as required by Colorado’s unique labor unionizing rules, to form their united front for wages and better safety conditions. Twenty-five entertainers successfully and unanimously joined Actors Equity, and 27 entertainment support employees joined the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 7. These elections occurred in 2024.

Subsequently, the food-service staff, including servers, table attendants, table assistants, guest services and bartenders voted to join IATSE. Their signed cards for the second election were completed in August 2025, but with the National Labor Relations Board under the Trump administration, progress toward completion is a very slow walk.

And isn’t that interesting? Parker and Stone have made their mark in 2025’s “
“South Park” episodes lampooning President Donald Trump, putting him in bed with Satan. One would think their moral derision would cover Trump’s harsh treatment of unionized government employees whom the president fired across the nation. The two men work in the film and television industry and wrote and produced Book of Mormon. Their employees in Los Angeles and on Broadway and touring companies are almost universally union workers. The two entrepreneurs surely have much experience with union contracts.

Yet here in Colorado, with our intimidating union election rules supported by our Gov. Jared Polis, the two South Park creators have chosen to stiff the union workers who make it possible for them to recover their $40 million pink restaurant investment. More than a year out, and there are still no contracts and little progress.

Since Casa Bonita’s reincarnation, lawyers have been in top executive positions. Many of the management staff work out of an office not in the restaurant facility. The 3-day strike cut restaurant revenues substantially. The action showed how important union employees are to Casa Bonita’s success.

Actors Equity ran an ad recently satirizing Parker and Stone as two South Park residents awash in cash while Casa Bonita employees are left “out in the cold.” The union argues even for full-time, front-of-house employees, $21 to $26 per hour is not enough to make a living.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone created a vision of a Casa Bonita that connects to the past. But it doesn’t lead to a secure future for their workers. The two men clearly understand the economic faultlines dividing the nation. It’s a new year with its resolutions! It’s on them to negotiate in good faith with their Casa Bonita “beautiful house” workers.

Paula Noonan owns Colorado Capitol Watch, the state’s premier legislature tracking platform.