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Diversity is fierce at local nightclub Metropolis — in the bars themselves and in the clientele. Winner of the "Best Dance Club" category in the recent Best of the Southwest vote, the club seeks to provide a classy social atmosphere with three bars catering to different types of people, and it is successful. The proof is in the numbers.

At Metropolis on the weekend, the lines get longer as it gets later. Warmers adorn the top of the covered entry to the club, providing warmth on chilly nights to the hundreds waiting, the ladies sometimes in skimpier-than-usual halter tops and mini-skirts; the guys in their favorite jeans and Polos. But those are just the 18- to 20-year-olds, because Metropolis is even more courteous to the 21 and older crowd that gets shuffled to the other line and moved in a bit quicker. Maybe it's because the money's in the alcohol. Or maybe it's because Metropolis simply knows how to cater.

Getting inside is the easy part; choosing which bar to spend your time in is a little more difficult.

GO RIGHT

"The three clubs inside Metropolis all have a unique theme, and all attract a slightly different clientele," said Metropolis General Manager Kylee Kingsley.

Go right, and you enter the Matrix.

"This is the club that would be considered more of a traditional dance club," Kingsley said. "The music consists of Top 40/high-energy dance music along with some of the most popular party and dance music from the past.

"The room is very music, dance and deejay driven. Some of the nice features in Matrix are the VIP room, the Shadow Dance Box, several dance stages, large dance floor and three full bars that make it convenient to get a drink," Kingsley said.

MOVE FORWARD

Go straight ahead from the front entry, and you're roped into Rodeo, the country bar. Patrons who arrive by 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays will be treated to country line dance lessons.

"Rodeo has many regular patrons that have been around since the days of Cheyenne Cattle Co. in Bourbon Street," Kingsley said.

It's in a 9,500-sq. foot room — plenty of space for the Country Western decor, the plethora of regular customers and then some. In Rodeo, age diversity is prevalent.

"The typical Rodeo customer varies greatly; some nights you will see someone in their early 20s line-dancing next to someone in their 70s to the most popular country music," Kingsley said.

TURN LEFT

Patrons who just want to chill should head left after they enter the front doors to the "ultra-lounge" bar of that name.

"Chill is the newest of our rooms," Kingsley said. "We just recently opened this room with an upscale, trendy lounge atmosphere. The ultra-lounge theme is very new to the area. Chill is more comfortable and relaxing than the other clubs with music played at lower levels so that casual conversation can be had," he said.

Single Metropolis patrons might feel the most comfortable here.

"Chill will allow singles to have a more intimate, upscale setting to get to know one another without shouting over the music," Kingsley said.

Chill has its own vibe apart from the rest of Metropolis, largely due to the age limitation.

"[It] offers more top-shelf brands and specialty drinks than the other clubs," Kingley said. "Chill is separated from the rest of the club by doors, and is 21 and older only on Fridays and Saturdays. Some of the best features of Chill are the beautiful décor, the comfortable booth seating, flat-screen televisions and the ability to rent out the entire room for private parties."

Calming mood colors of blue and silver set off the room, accented with posh decorations and snake-shaped booths. Flat-screen televisions, pool tables, a dance floor and direct access to restrooms provide an all-in-one experience.

THEY MEAN BUSINESS

Metropolis currently staffs 40 employees, Kingsley said. There are almost double the number of security personnel than bartenders, ensuring safe nights at the club. "On a given night, Metropolis may have upwards of 1,500 patrons inside the building. Add alcohol into the mix, and without proper crowd control procedures and security personnel in place, it could be a dangerous situation," he said.

"We understand that our product is more than just the drinks that are bought at the bar," Kingsley said, adding that attitude is key to the success of the employees, and to Metropolis. "Our product is the atmosphere that we provide, and the drinks are just a small piece of it."

HOW TO GO

WHAT: Metropolis Nightclub.

WHERE: 125 Cincinnati Mills Dr., Cincinnati.

MORE INFO: (513) 671-2881; cincymetropolis.com; myspace.com/cincymetropolis.

HOURS: 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Thursdays, 7 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

COST: $7 for those 18-20 years old, $5 for 21+.

Thursdays: College night

• $2 off cover charge with valid college ID.

• No cover until 10:30 p.m. for patrons 21+.

• Specials: $2 Long Islands and Miller Lite, $2.50 Smirnoffs.

Fridays: Ladies night hosted by Holly Morgan and Q102.

• Ladies free until 11 p.m.

• $2.50 well-drinks for ladies all night.

• Ladies join Holly Morgan in the VIP room.

• Happy hour in Rodeo from 7-9 p.m. features $1.75 drinks.

• Country line-dancing lessons in Rodeo, 7-9 p.m.

Saturdays: hosted by Kiss 107 FM.

• Club Kiss from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., music played by DJ SAAB from Kiss 107 in Matri; broadcast live on 107.1 FM.

• Jordan from Kiss 107 hosts the night?s event.s

• Happy hour in Rodeo from 7-9 p.m. features $1.75 drinks.

• Country line-dancing lessons in Rodeo, 7-9 p.m.

• Ladies 21+ free until 11 p.m.