Burr Ridge Mayor Blasts Patch's Nightclub Reporting

BURR RIDGE, IL — Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso on Thursday defended a proposed nightclub that is drawing opposition. And he disputed that it should even be called a "nightclub."

In a post on Patch, Grasso also criticized the Patch reporter who has been covering the debate over the planned night spot. The first hearing for the establishment is Monday.

At issue is the plan for the "Are We Live?" establishment in County Line Square. It is being proposed by Filippo "Gigi" Rovito, whose Capri Ristorante is a few doors down. In his piece, Grasso praised Capri, where a plate is named after the mayor.

He said Patch was distorting the proposal by calling the planned establishment a nightclub. Nightclubs, he said, are large venues that include a stage for shows, a dance floor, a disc jockey playing high energy music, high-backed booths, lounge furniture, tables for two and usually drinks only. The proposed establishment is only 2,500 square feet, with 80 seats proposed of traditional restaurant square tables of four, a bar and a pizza oven area, he said.

"There is no stage, no dance floor, no DJ booth, no band area. Look at it — it is not a nightclub even applying the sensationalism and crude exaggeration of (Patch reporter David) Giuliani and his fear mongers," Grasso said.

Patch checked a number of online dictionary definitions for "nightclub," with most saying nightclubs consist of music, dancing, food and liquor.

In a since-deleted Instagram video from December, Rovito described the night spot: "I want my customers to understand there's something exciting going on in Burr Ridge two doors down from the restaurant. Listen, it's got energy, it's got ambiance, the music is old school, like back in the '70s. I'm telling you, you better put on your dancing shoes when you come here. It's going to be available after the holidays."

Grasso said the original request for live music has been dropped and that now only background music is planned.

"It will be a place for a drink, conversation and small plates," Grasso said in his post. "Look at the plans. If AWL is approved, I hope some couples get up occasionally to dance if they can find the room. In fact, I hope we soon get a place to dance somewhere in Burr Ridge. Music and even dancing are considered fun by most everyone. We allow — and I encourage — reasonable fun in Burr Ridge. It's overdue since Covid resulted in a 2020-21 lock-down."

Despite the facts, Grasso said, Patch and its "fear feeders" are painting the proposed establishment as seedy in an attempt to tear down the proposal.

He said the criticism from Patch and others about "Are We Live?" is designed to cast a negative light on the "immensely successful" Capri Ristorante.

"Since 2005, Capri's celebrated food and 'Cheers'-like atmosphere has made Capri a local, and area, favorite for many. No restaurant is more associated with Burr Ridge than Capri," Grasso said.

He alleged reporter Giuliani is in an alliance with a village trustee in an effort to bring down Capri. He was likely referring to Trustee Zach Mottl, who lost to the mayor's allies in the April 6 election.

Grasso noted Patch's reporting about his relationship with Rovito. A plate at Capri is named after the mayor — "Linguini a la Mayor Grasso." And Rovito gave $5,000 to Grasso's 2018 ill-fated campaign for attorney general. Grasso returned the money a month later after a TV station's questions about it.

He said Patch has used the word "ties" to describe the relationship between him and Rovito.

"Giuliani, despite his own surname, added that word because Capri's owner and I have Italian surnames," Grasso wrote. "He does it to imply wrongdoing where there is none. He does it to defame and fan the flame of anti-Italian-American stereotyping. He can get away with it sadly because we apparently are the last ethnic group the media can libel with social impunity. Having to deal with online-click reporters like patch-etic David Giuliani is part of the mayor's thankless job too."

Grasso promised the village would engage in an open process to deal with the proposed establishment's issues, including potential noise, hours of operation and parking, among others.

"But, work with the facts – not the published distortions soaked in a few people's vindictive venom," he said.