AUBURN – Dion Davis has seen the club business from every possible perspective: DJ, bartender, bouncer.

Now he’s got a new view – one he’s wanted for a long time: club owner.

Davis opens Midnight Special, a dance club and entertainment spot, tonight on Court Street, where Uncle Troy’s and Midnight Blues used to be.

“I’ve been DJ-ing since 1998, and been a bartender and bouncer,” said the Edward Little and UMO grad. “Now I want to put all the pieces together and make one nice picture.”

The location might be familiar, but the notoriety won’t be, he said.

“We want to keep people happy and safe,” Davis said. “People can have a good time, and this is the place to do it. We don’t want people who come out looking for a fight or to deal drugs.”

He’s already prepared. Six bouncers have been hired. Two private-detail police officers will be outside on duty. A Breathalyzer is at the bar for any patrons who want to check their sobriety before leaving. Taxis are a speed-dial away.

Recurring problems with previous clubs in that neighborhood forced some to close. But Davis thinks he has the right approach to make a success of Midnight Special.

“Music is the key,” he said. “It creates the right atmosphere. There’s a definite correlation between what you play and who comes in.”

His formula: a mix of dance music from the ’80s, ’90s and now. No metal, no gangsta rap, no hip-hop.

“If you have a sequence of, say, Michael Jackson, followed by Eminem, then Justin Timberlake and George Michael, you’re going to draw people who want to socialize, have a few drinks and dance,” he said.

The club’s infrastructure reflects the new emphasis. Lots of new motion-sensitive lights have been installed, and narrow shelves now border the Main Street-side windows, where drinks can rest while dancers take the floor.

A new sound system pipes the music out to the back room, where it will play at a lower volume so people can talk, play pool, arcade games or grab a bite to eat while they rest their feet.

The club will offer a limited menu of finger foods, as well three fixed-course entrees.

The bar out front will offer domestic beer for $3 (12-oz. bottle or 16-oz. draught) and $3.75 for imports. Well drinks and top-shelf concoctions will be priced accordingly, Davis said.

And, per its namesake, there will be midnight specials, where all food and drinks (except top -shelf liquor) will be offered at 2-for-1 prices from midnight until closing.

There is no cover charge at the club, but patrons better come with cash in their pockets, or be prepared to use the on-premises ATM. Davis said he’s running a cash-only business to help keep the transactions simple.

And he’s hoping to revive some club-scene staples like Two-for-Tuesday (two drinks for the price of one all night) and karaoke night with Stormin’ Norman.

But most importantly, he’s hoping to give L-A’s younger crowd a safe place to gather for fun.

“We want people to relax and enjoy themselves,” he said.