A Dance Club Opening In Burr Ridge? Nothing Certain

BURR RIDGE, IL — The owner of one of Burr Ridge's most prominent restaurants promised recently that he would soon open what sounds like a dance club.

But the mayor said Wednesday the village had yet to get a proposal for the business. The restaurant is at 324 Burr Ridge Parkway.

On a since deleted Instagram video, Capri Ristorante owner Filippo "Gigi" Rovito announced the opening of a place for dancing. He said he was standing in a space that "I've been working on for a little while."

"I want my customers to understand there's something exciting going on in Burr Ridge two doors down from the restaurant," Rovito said. "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."

He added, "Don't tell too many people because then what happens, you can't get a table here."

Village Trustee Zach Mottl saw the video and emailed Evan Walter, the village's interim administrator. He said he was unaware the village had approved a new nightclub for Capri and asked for any information that the village had about the project.

In an interview Wednesday with Burr Ridge Patch, Mayor Gary Grasso said nothing had come before the village about the proposal.

"Having a spot later in the evening or after diner hours for music, that's the kind of thing that's been kicked around for 10 years in Burr Ridge," Grasso said. "To the extent it happens in Burr Ridge, I'm certainly not opposed to it. We need to see the details."

Grasso said he had not seen the video, which was taken down after Mottl emailed Walter.

Rovito did not return a call for comment. When the restaurant was reached, the person answering the phone said she did have an exact date for the restaurant's opening.

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.

Asked Wednesday why he returned the money, Grasso would not comment, saying Patch had said the interview was about Rovito's plans for a dance club.