Local nightclubs in cutthroat competition for fickle UA dollars

On a Friday night on Fourth Avenue, it is easy to see why UA students are so important to Tucson's bars and nightclubs.

Crowds throng the streets, packing smaller clubs and lining up outside the most popular destinations like Maloney's, O'Malley's or Club XS.

The sidewalks are packed as scantily clad club-goers hustle to and fro in the chilly evening air.

On such a night, operating a club within walking distance of the university seems like a guaranteed gold mine. But in reality, many of Tucson's bar and nightclub operators say it is an unpredictable and difficult business, and one prone to intense competition.