The neon sign of the Riviera Country Club at 8801 W. 143rd Street used to illuminate east Orland Park with a warm, lively hum. For decades, it had been a sanctuary of splashing water from indoor and outdoor pools, the rhythmic thwack of tennis balls, and thousands of weekend wedding toasts.
But by 2021, the music had stopped. Left vacant, plagued by code violations, the massive 107,000-square-foot facility became what local trustees openly called a “blighted eyesore.”
To the residents living on the east side of the village, it was a painful reminder of a disappearing landmark. To the Orland Park Village Board, however, it was an opportunity…