Casa Bonita, the Colorado restaurant owned by “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, is facing a labor case brought by the National Labor Relations Board. The NLRB accuses the famous venue of unfair labor practices involving the performers behind its live shows.

The Wrap reports that a trial date has been set for December 7 in Denver. The courtroom showdown arrives three years after Parker and Stone spent tens of millions to renovate and reopen the acclaimed restaurant.

The legal action follows a 2025 organizing initiative by performers at Casa Bonita. The group, which includes magicians, cliff divers, and other entertainers, voted unanimously to join the live performers’ union Actors Equity.

At the center of the NLRB complaint is the claim that Casa Bonita refused to bargain in good faith with Actors Equity. The agency also alleges that the restaurant cut more than 1,000 hours from performers while contract negotiations were still underway.

Warning: Account balances and purchasing power no longer tell the same story. Know in 2 minutes if your retirement is working for you.

Actors’ Equity Association general counsel Andrea Hoeschen said the complaint supports what workers have argued during 18 months of bargaining. Her statement sharply accused Casa Bonita of failing to take the negotiations seriously.

“This complaint vindicates what the workers have been saying throughout 18 months of bargaining: Casa Bonita would rather play games with their livelihoods than seriously bargain for a fair contract,” Hoeschen said, according to The Wrap.

“The NLRB’s complaint should be a wakeup call for the employer, but whether or not they choose to do the right thing, we’re in this for the long haul. We’ll see them back at the bargaining table soon – and then we’ll see them in court.”

Parker and Stone purchased the Lakewood restaurant in 2021. The venue was being renovated for reopening in Lakewood, Colorado, on May 25, 2023, as the creators worked to revive the celebrated attraction.

FREE Gun Law Map: Laws Don't Pause During Social Unrest

The restaurant is known for its lavish, Mexican themed interiors and the live performances that accompany the dining experience. According to The Wrap, Casa Bonita has maintained a cult following among Coloradans since it opened in 1974.

Its recognition expanded nationwide in 2003 after Parker and Stone devoted a famous episode of “South Park” to the restaurant. The connection between the animated series and the Colorado venue later deepened when the creators purchased Casa Bonita.

The labor dispute has also drawn the attention of actress Brooke Shields. She previously disclosed that she made what was described as a stealth trip to Casa Bonita to protest the working conditions faced by its performers.

Shields told CNN that she used a fake name when she visited the Colorado restaurant last March. During the visit, she delivered a letter seeking better wages for the performers who provide live entertainment to Casa Bonita guests.

Describing the visit as “slightly an ambush,” Shields told CNN, “It’s just so disheartening because [the performers are] putting their lives at risk, and they’re not being looked after.”

Shields also said she had not heard anything from either Stone or Parker during the negotiations. “It’s just silence, radio silence,” she said of the lack of communication she experienced.

The complaint now places the restaurant’s bargaining conduct and the alleged reduction of performer hours at the center of a formal NLRB proceeding. Actors Equity, meanwhile, has made clear through Hoeschen’s statement that it expects both further negotiations and a court fight.

With the Denver trial scheduled for December 7, the conflict has moved beyond organizing and contract discussions into a legal battle. The case follows the performers’ unanimous union vote, 18 months of bargaining, and allegations that more than 1,000 hours were cut while negotiations remained active.