It's the only place in Albuquerque where students enjoy four nightclubs for the price of one, but it almost didn't open.
Graham Central Station, the city's newest nightspot, is gaining popularity with people of all ages and groups because of its unique setup, said Justin Stone, a manager at the club that officially opened in late December.
Whether it's testing vocal skills at the karaoke bar, going retro with some classic rock, enjoying some country tunes or dancing the night away to the latest hip-hop, the club has something for everyone, Stone said.
"We cater to just about every kind of music lover," he said.
But the opening of the giant club on the corner of San Mateo and Montgomery boulevards almost never happened.
The club's owners had to endure 18 months of legal battles before seeing their dream of opening the club to fruition.
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The neighboring Albertsons grocery store, along with the area's neighborhood association, bombarded the club's national chain with lawsuits, claiming the huge influx of partygoers would suck up the area's precious parking spots and send drunken motorists into the nearby residential neighborhoods.
Dana Perkins, spokeswoman for Graham Brothers Entertainment, the club's owner, said they had to reduce the occupancy of the club by more than 40 percent to comply with local parking regulations before the city would allow them to open.
"It's been a really long road," Perkins said. "We were just eager to open the club. We were willing to do whatever we had to do to comply with the laws."
Stone said despite a slow start the club's popularity is growing by leaps and bounds and is becoming a fixture in Albuquerque's entertainment scene.
The groups who oppose the club aren't giving up the fight that easily, though.
Dan Martinez, a spokesman for Albertsons, said the national grocery chain plans on appealing the decision of the city to allow the club to open within the year.
Marsha Kolb, president of the Kiva-Monte Park neighborhood association, said it was irresponsible to allow the club to open because of the obvious risks for nearby residents and businesses.
"Our safety is being put at risk for the sake of profit," she said. "We think our well-being should be more important than a nightclub."
Still, many people aren't wasting any time enjoying the club's many amenities.
"It's something different, and Albuquerque is really in need of that," said UNM sophomore Gilbert Marquez. "It's hard to get bored there, I can tell you that."
