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47-412: In 2019, The Denver Post published a feature on the restaurant and described the decor, saying, "Its pink exterior conceals a vast network of nooks and crannies inside. While the main, multilevel dining room is decorated with plastic palm trees and strings of lights, different facades and themed rooms invoke regional Mexican architectural styles, including the resort of Puerto Vallarta ." The centerpiece

94-624: A Garden Room, an El Pokey (a room themed as a Mexican jail), a fully functioning video arcade, and a gift shop. In its heyday, the Little Rock location was reported to have been the highest volume Mexican restaurant in the United States with annual sales of up to $ 2,500,000. That distinction would later go to the Denver location which would go on to post nearly $ 8,000,000 in sales on an annual basis. The restaurant closed and rebranded under

141-593: A drastic fall from the over 250 journalists which The Denver Post employed before 2010, when it was purchased by Alden Media Group. At one point before 2009, the joint-operating agreement between The Denver Post and The Rocky Mountain News boasted a 600-strong staff of journalists, before the bankruptcy of the Rocky Mountain News that year. The announcement of 30 more layoffs in March 2018, which reduced

188-457: A group called "Together for Colorado Springs" said that it was raising money to buy the Post from Alden Global Capital , stating: "Denver deserves a newspaper owner who supports its newsroom." In August 1892, The Evening Post was founded by supporters of Grover Cleveland with $ 50,000. It was a Democratic paper used to publicize political ideals and stem the number of Colorado Democrats leaving

235-513: A joint broadsheet newspaper on Saturday, produced by the News staff, and a broadsheet on Sunday, produced by the Post staff. Both newspapers' editorial pages appeared in both weekend papers. The JOA ended on February 27, 2009, when the Rocky Mountain News published its last issue. The following day, the Post published its first Saturday issue since 2001. The Post launched a staff expansion program in 2001, but declining advertising revenue led to

282-424: A new era began for the Post . Circulation grew and eventually passed the other three daily papers combined. On November 3, 1895 the paper's was name changed to Denver Evening Post . On January 1, 1901 the word "Evening" was dropped from the name and the paper became The Denver Post . Post reporters include Gene Fowler , Frances Belford Wayne , and " sob sister " Polly Pry . Damon Runyon worked briefly for

329-574: A porch along with strolling mariachis . The Tulsa location also included a puppet and magic show theater, a video arcade , a working carousel , and a gift shop. It closed on September 30, 2005, due to a reported inability to reach suitable lease terms with the property owner. It was reopened, as Casa Viva, in May 2006 and then closed again in December 2007. In late July 2008, the restaurant, having been sold back to its previous owner group, reopened under

376-471: A pro–natural gas group. The stories in the section are written by outsiders, not by DP reporters. A banner across the top of the section reads "This Section is Sponsored by CRED". Nevertheless, critics express concern that the section risks confusing readers about the distinction between advertising and reporting. In January 2020, Jon Caldara Libertarian activist of the Denver -based Independence Institute ,

423-582: A reduction of the newsroom staff in 2006 and 2007 through layoffs, early-retirement packages, voluntary-separation buyouts and attrition. The most recent round of announced buyouts occurred in June 2016. In 2013, just before legalization in Colorado, The Denver Post initiated an online media brand The Cannabist to cover cannabis-related issues. First led by Editor in Chief Ricardo Baca ,

470-422: A small puppet theater, a "haunted tunnel" (Black Bart's Cave), an arcade with a large skee-ball room, and a magic theater. Since 2023, as a nod to its new owners, the restaurant has references to South Park , such as a prop of Eric Cartman having food in his iconic table and a ManBearPig meet-and-greet. The restaurant is 52,000 square feet (4,800 m) and can seat up to 1,100 patrons. The first Casa Bonita

517-400: A union with Actors’ Equity and IATSE. Employees cited unsafe work conditions and pay as the primary reasons for unionization. The South Park episode " Casa Bonita " prominently features the Colorado branch of the restaurant. Other episodes that mention it briefly are: " Quest for Ratings " (where a clock is labeled as showing the time at Casa Bonita), " You Have 0 Friends ", " 201 " (where

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564-412: A weekly columnist for The Denver Post , was fired after publishing two conservative articles on sex and gender. In a column arguing for greater openness in public affairs, excoriating the Colorado legislature for avoiding the legally required referendum on a new state tax by repackaging it as a “fee” — and then prohibiting hospitals from listing the fee on patients’ bills. On the same theme, he criticized

611-529: Is a 30 foot (9.1 m) indoor waterfall with cliff divers, an imitation of the cliffs of Acapulco . The building is crowned with a gold dome and a statue of Cuauhtémoc , the last Aztec emperor of Mexico. It was designated a historic landmark of the city in March 2015. Casa Bonita temporarily closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic , and its owner filed for bankruptcy in April 2021. Later that year, it

658-558: The Los Angeles Times and Joe Nocera of Bloomberg View . In 2020, a documentary, News Matters , was released that follows the bold attempt by Colorado journalists to save the 125-year-old Denver Post while the hedge fund owner Alden Global Capital slowly drains profits from the paper and dismissing journalists. In February 2014, The Denver Post began publishing a section entitled "Energy and Environment", funded by Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development (CRED),

705-537: The Post in 1905–1906 before gaining fame as a writer in New York. After the deaths of Tammen and Bonfils in 1924 and 1933, Helen and May Bonfils Stanton , Bonfils' daughters, became the principal owners of the Post . In 1946, the Post hired Palmer Hoyt from the Portland Oregonian to become editor and publisher of the Post and to give the paper a new direction. With Hoyt in charge, news

752-548: The Colorado minimum wage, $ 13.65. This came on the heels of a nationwide campaign to eliminate tipping in food service, owing to "tipping fatigue" on the part of customers who came to oppose the practice. Just days before its much-anticipated reopening, Casa Bonita rescinded its original employment contracts and asked staff to sign new agreements that may amount to smaller wages. Casa Bonita initially advertised salaries ranging from $ 14.27 to $ 15.27 for servers and bartenders, in addition to tips. And employees signed contracts earlier in

799-492: The District of Arizona. On September 23, 2021, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone reached an agreement to purchase the restaurant for $ 3.1 million. A group named "Save Casa Bonita" filed an objection to Parker and Stone's purchase, pointing out that they had in fact made an offer first. Their objection was later withdrawn, and the sale was completed by November 19. Parker and Stone spent $ 40 million renovating

846-455: The Tulsa location (both were previously large retail store locations) features strolling mariachis , flame jugglers (no longer allowed in 2019 for violating fire code), and a 30-foot (9.1 m) waterfall with cliff divers . The website Roadside America mentions that the restaurant has "Wild West shootouts, brawling pirates, [and] a dancing gorilla" that "can be viewed while you eat". It also has

893-621: The company said that it would no longer be seeking a sale. In 2017, The Denver Post announced that its headquarters were moving to its printing plant in North Washington in Adams County, Colorado . The operation of The Denver Post by Digital First Media, under the ownership of Alden Global Capital, has come under extensive criticism from workers at the newspaper and outside the organization. The hedge fund has made "relentless cost cuts" since taking ownership in 2010, despite

940-587: The cuts were hamstringing the ability of the Post to provide quality coverage of the fast-growing Denver region, and compared the size of its newsroom unfavorably to those of other newspapers in cities of comparable or smaller size to Denver. Alden's "harvesting strategy" is what prompted Greg Moore, editor of The Denver Post from 2002 to 2016, to step down. The "open revolt" of the Denver Post against its owners garnered support and praise from other newspapers and journalists, including Mitchell Landsberg of

987-406: The existence of only two sexes was "the last straw" for his column, he emphasizes "the reason for my firing is over a difference in style." He was officially fired for failing to use "respectful language" and the lack of a "collaborative and professional manner." Editors of The Denver Post include: Former columnists include Woody Paige in sports, Tom Noel on local history, Mike Rosen on

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1034-490: The now defunct Rocky Mountain News , entered into a joint operating agreement (JOA), creating the Denver Newspaper Agency , which combined the business operations of the former rivals. Under the agreement, the newsrooms of the two newspapers agreed to publish separate morning editions Monday through Friday, with the Post retaining a broadsheet format and the News using a tabloid format. They published

1081-616: The online publication has surged in popularity, beating the industry veteran High Times in September 2016. Thirty layoffs were announced for The Post in March 2018, according to the Denver Business Journal . On September 7, 2011, John Paton, CEO of Journal Register Company , was appointed CEO of MediaNews Group, replacing Singleton, who stayed on as the Post ' s publisher and CEO of MediaNews until his retirement in 2013. He remains non-executive chairman of

1128-416: The organization. With the move, the Post also entered into an agreement with the newly created Digital First Media, led by Paton, that would provide management services and lead the execution of the company's business strategy in conjunction with Journal Register. Paton stepped down as CEO of Digital First in June 2015, and was succeeded by longtime MediaNews executive Steve Rossi. In the same announcement,

1175-498: The original Casa Bonita name. In February 2011, the restaurant failed to reopen after lengthy snowstorms hit Tulsa, and a sign on the door said it was closed for business. The Little Rock location opened in 1969 at the corner of University Avenue and Asher Avenue (at the time U.S. Highway 67/70), just south of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock campus. This location had many of the same features as its sister locations including

1222-475: The ownership of the Waugh family as "Casa Viva" on August 2, 1993, after a reported $ 250,000 was spent in renovations. It would revert to the original Casa Bonita branding in 1995, until closing permanently in 2005. In the summer of 2023, Stone and Parker amended the employee compensation system at Casa Bonita, removing the need for wait staff to earn tips, instead paying every employee $ 30 per hour, much higher than

1269-585: The paper financially. When Helen Bonfils died in 1972, Seawell was named president and chairman of the board. He was also head of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA). The Center was established and financed primarily by the Frederick G. and Helen G. Bonfils foundations, with aid from city funds. The majority of the assets of the foundations came from Post stock dividends. By 1980,

1316-521: The paper in June 1894. On October 28, 1895, Harry Heye Tammen , former bartender and owner of a curio and souvenir shop, and Frederick Gilmer Bonfils , a Kansas City real estate and lottery operator, purchased the Evening Post for $ 12,500. Neither had newspaper experience, but they were adept at the business of promotion and finding out what people wanted to read. Through the use of sensationalism , editorialism, and "flamboyant circus journalism",

1363-735: The paper was losing money. Critics accused Seawell of being preoccupied with building up the DCPA. Seawell sold the Post to the Los Angeles -based Times Mirror Company for $ 95 million. Proceeds went to the Bonfils Foundation, securing the financial future of the DCPA. Times Mirror started morning publication and delivery. Circulation improved, but the paper did not perform as well as required. Times Mirror sold The Denver Post to Dean Singleton and MediaNews Group in 1987. In January 2001, MediaNews and E.W. Scripps , parent company of

1410-507: The paper's newsroom from 100 to around 70 people, prompted a denunciation of its owners from the editorial board of The Denver Post . The editorial decried Alden Global Capital as "vulture capitalists" who were "strip-mining" the newspaper; it concluded that "Denver deserves a newspaper owner who supports its newsroom. If Alden isn't willing to do good journalism here, it should sell the Post to owners who will." The editorial board pointed out that

1457-560: The party. Cleveland had been nominated for president because of his reputation for honest government. However, Cleveland and eastern Democrats opposed government purchase of silver, Colorado's most important product, which made Cleveland unpopular in the state. Following the bust of silver prices in 1893, the country and Colorado went into a depression and The Evening Post suspended publication in August 1893. A new group of owners with similar political ambitions raised $ 100,000 and resurrected

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1504-427: The reported profitability of the Post , principally by laying off the newspaper's staff. Margaret Sullivan of The Washington Post called Alden Global Capital "one of the most ruthless of the corporate strip-miners seemingly intent on destroying local journalism." Under Digital Media First, the number of journalists in the newsroom was reduced by almost two-thirds by April 2018, to around 70 people. This represents

1551-471: The restaurant and hired Chef Dana Rodriguez to update the menu. Arthur Bradford chronicled the experience in " ¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor! " (2024), a makeover documentary. The restaurant had a soft opening on May 26, 2023. Casa Bonita began taking reservations for weekends beginning June 23, 2023. The Lakewood location was built in 1973 and opened in March 1974, on Colfax Avenue west of Denver, along U.S. Route 40 / I-70 Business . Similar in architecture to

1598-436: The restaurant is reportedly destroyed), " Let Go, Let Gov ", and " South ParQ Vaccination Special ". Additionally, the building that houses South Park Studios was named after the restaurant. In August 2021, the show's creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone , announced they would purchase Casa Bonita. The renovations of the restaurant are documented in the 2024 film ¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor! . In one of downloadable content packs to

1645-621: The restaurant, "every time I go there, I have a sense of wonder all over again because it's so big and there's so many things in there—like the waterfall—and you feel like you're outside, and the sounds and lights and everything in there. It's just ... it's unmatched." The Denver Post The Denver Post is a daily newspaper and website published in the Denver metropolitan area . As of June 2022, it has an average print circulation of 57,265. In 2016, its website received roughly six million monthly unique visitors generating more than 13 million page views, according to comScore . The Post

1692-480: The spring agreeing to the wages. In the days before public opening, the restaurant called employees to a meeting at which they were told to sign new contracts within a day or quit. Casa Bonita employees, with help from the worker center, Restaurant Opportunities Centers (ROC) United , sent a petition to management, demanding more transparency and better communication on a number of issues. In October of 2024, employees at Casa Bonita announced their intention to form

1739-441: The state’s educational authorities for imposing a speech code forbidding speech considered “stigmatizing”. “In case you hadn’t noticed,” he wrote, “just about everything is stigmatizing to the easily triggered, perpetually offended.” Continuing on his theme of transparency, he also complained that the schools were not doing enough to make parents aware of the contents of their sex-ed curricula. While Caldara believes his "insistence" on

1786-581: The two-month span between March 17 and May 26. In March, several employees reported that their most recent paychecks had bounced due to insufficient funds in the Casa Bonita payroll account. The restaurant's website disappeared during the summer of 2020 sometime between July 7 and July 30. On April 6, 2021, Summit Family Restaurants, Casa Bonita's owner, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for

1833-563: The video game South Park: The Fractured But Whole , the restaurant plays a central role in the story. In 2009, rock band The Fray held the release party for their eponymous second album at Casa Bonita. In the reboot of Roseanne , Casa Bonita is featured as the workplace of Becky Connor in Episode 4. The music video for Collapsing Scenery's "Resort Beyond the Last Resort", directed by Kansas Bowling and starring Boyd Rice ,

1880-535: Was acquired by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone , who gave the restaurant a significant renovation. The restaurant held a soft relaunch beginning June 23, 2023, now billing itself as The Greatest Restaurant in the World! Founder Bill Waugh opened the first Casa Bonita restaurant in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma , in 1968. By the mid-1970s, the chain had expanded to locations in adjacent states and

1927-444: Was demolished in 2015. The Tulsa location opened in 1971 near the intersection of 21st and Sheridan. The interior was designed to create the outdoor nighttime atmosphere of a Mexican village. Its various themed dining areas, with seating for over 500, included a village square with fountain, a 2-level lantern-lit cave, a tropical garden with 20 foot (6.1 m) waterfall and stream, and a room resembling an aristocratic dining hall with

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1974-685: Was known for its "all you can eat" beef or chicken plates and offering sopapillas —small squares of fried bread served with honey—with every meal. In 1982, Casa Bonita's parent company, which also owned Taco Bueno fast food restaurants, was sold to Unigate (later Uniq plc ). In 1992, Unigate sold the restaurants to CKE Restaurants , owner of Carl's Jr. In 1997, the two remaining Casa Bonita restaurants, in Tulsa, Oklahoma , and Lakewood, Colorado, were spun off by CKE as part of Star Buffet. The Tulsa location closed in September 2005, then reopened for two years as Casa Viva, and closed again in December 2007. It

2021-533: Was opened in the summer of 1968 in Oklahoma City, at a time when Mexican food was considered a novelty in the area. The restaurant was located along U.S. Route 66 at the intersection of NW 39th and Portland. On opening, it featured themed rooms, including the Garden Room and El Pokey, a room themed as a Mexican jail. The Oklahoma City location closed in 1993. After housing other businesses, the building

2068-486: Was partially filmed at Casa Bonita. Punk rock band SPELLS performed their song "A Huevo" at Casa Bonita. In 2018, the Denver Broncos announced their draft picks at Casa Bonita with the help of the resident magician. For several years, artist Andrew Novick has hosted a Casa Bonita-themed art show at Denver's NEXT Gallery. Novick has been to the restaurant more than 300 times and has given tours of it. He says of

2115-475: Was reopened by Star Buffet under the original name in late July 2008 but closed again in 2011, leaving the Lakewood location as the last Casa Bonita. The Lakewood Historical Society chose to designate the restaurant as a city landmark in March 2015. In March 2020, Casa Bonita closed temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic , during which Colorado Governor Jared Polis had placed a ban on in-person dining during

2162-467: Was reported fairly and accurately. He took editorial comment out of the stories and put it on an editorial page. He called the page The Open Forum and it continues today. In 1960, there was a takeover attempt by publishing mogul Samuel I. Newhouse . Helen Bonfils brought in her friend and lawyer Donald Seawell to save the paper. The fight led to a series of lawsuits as Post management struggled to maintain local ownership. It lasted 13 years and drained

2209-475: Was the flagship newspaper of MediaNews Group Inc. , founded in 1983 by William Dean Singleton and Richard Scudder . On December 1, 1987, MediaNews, a national newspaper chain with over 60 daily newspapers and over 160 non-daily publications in 13 states, bought The Denver Post from Times Mirror Company . Since 2010, The Denver Post has been owned by hedge fund Alden Global Capital , which acquired its bankrupt parent company, MediaNews Group. In April 2018,

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