Burr Ridge Wants Nightclub Sign Down

BURR RIDGE, IL — Burr Ridge's mayor said Tuesday that the village has yet to see any plans for a proposed dance club. But the owner has already put up a sign for the business.

This is another chapter in Mayor Gary Grasso's dealings with Capri Ristorante owner Filippo "Gigi" Rovito, who has named a plate in honor of Grasso and donated to the mayor's unsuccessful 2018 attorney general campaign.

Last week, Burr Ridge Patch reported on an Instagram video in which Rovito announced the opening of a place for dancing "after the holidays." After Burr Ridge Trustee Zach Mottl emailed village officials questioning how a dance club could open without the village's approval, the video was deleted.

On Tuesday, Burr Ridge Trustee Zach Mottl emailed interim Village Administrator Evan Walter about the old Lepa Boutique space at 312 Burr Ridge Parkway, which is apparently where Rovito plans the dance club. It is a few doors down from Capri in the same building.

The new building has a sign that says "Are We Live?" Mottl, who sent a photo of the sign to Walter, asked him to look into the matter.

"Today I drove by and noticed that there is brown paper in the windows and a new light-up sign. I was not aware that any of this was approved by the village," Mottl said. "It is my understanding that we have a sign ordinance and other various code ordinances that are applicable to all of this."

Mottl said that because Rovito does business with Grasso's son's valet company, the restaurant owner believes he can do whatever he wants in town.

The mayor, who defeated Mottl in the 2019 mayoral election, responded to the email less than an hour later.

"Mr. Wonderful: he was advised to remove the sign a few days ago because nothing has come before the (Plan Commission) or the Board for approval. He will have to meet all applicable zoning and code requirements," the mayor said.

In June, Rovito posted a video to the restaurant's Facebook page in which he hawked T-shirts that read, "Are We Live?" The logo was identical to the one on the building. In the video, Rovito did not say he was planning to open a dance club.

In the more recent, since-deleted video, Rovito said, "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."

In an email to Patch on Wednesday, Grasso said there has never been plans or a request for a dance club.

"The concept there as generally discussed with staff was initially for a temporary facility during the winter months," the mayor said. "That changed when the need did not arise. There have been discussions now about it becoming a place for small hot and cold plates, pizza, multiple TVs, soft drinks and cocktails. No kitchen. The space is relatively small. That discussion too still would have to go through the normal village planning procedures, the Plan Commission and then the Village Board."

Burr Ridge Patch has left a message for comment with Rovito, who has not returned calls about other issues over the last month.

Mottl has long questioned Grasso's dealings with Rovito. On Nov. 22, 2017, Rovito gave $5,000 to Grasso's unsuccessful campaign for attorney general, according to state Board of Election records.

But Grasso returned the money on Dec. 28, 2017. This was six days after the CBS affiliate in Champaign ran a story headlined, "Shady campaign cash flows to GOP candidate," which involved, in part, Rovito's donation to Grasso. Last week, Grasso declined to say why he returned the money.

One of the plates at Capri Ristorante is called "Linguini alla Mayor Grasso."

In November, Grasso chastised Rovito in a letter over a report that Rovito and a hostess were not wearing masks. A state agency has found Capri in compliance with the governor's ban on indoor dining, while Burr Ridge police have found the opposite.