Update, Aug. 16: A judge ruled on this case. Read more here.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Casa Bonita’s new owners are asking a judge to help them keep some of the restaurant’s renovation documents secret.
“South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone bought the Lakewood restaurant in 2021, and the business is now owned by a limited liability company called “The Beautiful Opco.” The company filed a complaint on Monday to stop some documents, like permit applications and building plans, from being released to the public.
“This information, in the wrong hands, could be used by a person intent on doing mass harm in a
public space,” the company’s lawyers argue in the complaint.
According to the suit, a trove of public records on the Casa Bonita renovations was set to be released on Tuesday after a Colorado Open Records Act request.
Casa Bonita’s lawyers recognized the request was “likely in furtherance of an innocent human
interest news report.” But they argued that the documents in question include “sensitive schematic and security information” that’s protected from disclosure under state open records law.
They said the company has submitted more than 800 pages of documents to public agencies, and they are only looking to protect “a fraction of those materials.” A hearing is set for Tuesday morning.
The complaint was filed against the City of Lakewood, Jefferson County Public Health, the West Metro Fire Protection District and the Lakewood Public Works Department. Attorneys with the firm Holland & Hart filed the lawsuit.
Renovations on the iconic restaurant, which was featured in “South Park,” have been underway. SkyFOX captured an aerial view of the restaurant last week as workers applied a coat of fresh paint, as shown in the comparison video above.
Casa Bonita argues to keep renovation documents secret
Casa Bonita’s lawyers said in the lawsuit that the following documents are in question:
- Phase One Demolition Plan (Dec. 29, 2021);
- Guardrail Improvements (Jan. 15, 2022);
- Health Department Submission (Feb. 25, 2022);
- Permit Phase 01 Submittal 01 (Feb. 25, 2022);
- Permit Phase 02 Submittal 01 (Mar. 28, 2022);
- Phase 02 Demolition Plan (April 14, 2022);
- Permit Phase 01 Resubmittal 01 (June 8, 2022);
- Permit Phase 02 Resubmittal 01 (June 15, 2022);
- Permit Phase 01 Resubmittal 02 (June 17, 2022);
- Permit Phase 01 Resubmittal 02 (June 21, 2022);
- P1 ASI-1 For Construction (July 15, 2022);
- P1 Permit Modification (July 22, 2022);
- P2 ASI-01 For Construction (July 22, 2022);
- and Camera Conceptual Layout (May 24, 2022)
While they were submitted to the court record, the documents have been suppressed from public viewing.