By the spangled light of day - or at least by the pristine and 24/7 luminescence of Foxwoods Resort Casino - the room is a showplace.

It's all gleaming dark wood with bronze-and-gold accents, and the elegantly functional tables and chairs are set up to encourage focus on a low-slung stage along the back wall.

It's the sort of room where you'd expect a sharply-attired business dude to step behind a maple podium and deliver eloquent corporate-speak about "leveraging a brand" or "accelerated emergence of high-maturity behaviors."

Not gonna happen, though. Not here. At least not … seriously.

This, you see, is Comix, the newly opened 350-seat comedy room in Foxwoods - a free-standing enterprise run by a group of folks absolutely committed to the laugh business.

"Frankly, I actually wanted to make this a little more like a traditional comedy club - which can be pretty funky," laughs Michael Brauth, one of the club's owners. "You know, authentic atmosphere. This is almost a little too nice - but obviously we wanted a place that would fit in with the elegance of the casino and appeal to the typical customers you'd find here."

Comix opened in early October with shows by Patrice O'Neal. The official grand opening weekend, starring Nick DiPaolo, was celebrated three weeks later, and

Brauth promises a steady stream of weekend national-circuit headliners.

Tommy Davidson is booked for five shows Nov. 4-6. Peter Correale is scheduled for Nov. 11-12, with Charley Murphy (Nov. 13), Godfrey (Nov. 18-10), and Bill Burr (Nov. 20), Michael Ian Black, Steve Rannazzisi, Greg Fitzsimmons and Lisa Lampanelli also upcoming.

"Part of the package that was really attractive is that we have exclusive comedy booking rights not just for this club but also the Fox Theatre, the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods, and within a 50 mile radius of the property," he says. "Obviously, we know Mohegan Sun is a very competitive property in most areas, but not comedy."

He adds that the Foxwoods location - on the mainline between Boston and New York - presents ideal booking opportunities given the headliner clubs in those cities.

An example in that context is the concert Saturday in the Fox Theatre by A-level star Margaret Cho, which is a Comix production.

"Basically, then, we can contact any talent agency and offer three venues ranging from club capacity to 4000 seats - all under the same roof. If I'm an agent, that's a no-brainer," Brauth says.

The Comix folks also understand the reality of the entertainment business and the present economy.

"You can't be a headliner club every night," Brauth says. "We're learning as we go, but the idea is to develop a formula so that we have the headliners for the weekends and up and coming talent during the week. We're developing relationships with agents and talents. The good news is that everyone wants to work, so you have to figure out how to attract the right talent for the right price."

In addition to weekend headliners, Brauth says the club will book some musical revues, bring in rising talent, and will consider open mic nights.

Comix also features a full bar - including their own ale - and a variety of snacks and high-end finger food. A full menu is an option that might come to pass down the road. They are also exploring putting together packages with Foxwoods /MGM Grand hotels and other clubs in the facilities.

"We've got a lot of ideas," Brauth says. "Right now, it's just hard to believe this has all come together so well."

Comix and Foxwoods started negotiating last December. Brauth says they spent three months on due diligence and, despite the weak economy, believed the club could work.

Then, because Brauth, 55, has been in the corporate recruiting business for years, he had to teach himself the ropes of the club business.

"Starting in March, I was in New York, learning the club business and hanging out in comedy clubs, making contacts and establishing relationships," Brauth says.

Attending the Montreal International Comedy Festival, he says, was sort of a finishing school.

"It was amazing. There were 3,000 industry professionals there. At any given moment, there are 10 different comedy shows going on, but there are also workshops, presentations, and all sorts of industry-related events," he says. "The coolest thing: Every agent and comic knew Foxwoods, and we got an amazing and energized reaction from the talent people."

He pauses, looking around the empty club, then laughs. "It's an insane amount of work, but it's so much fun. I mean, it's a comedy joint. We're supposed to laugh, right?"

r.koster@theday.com

DEVASTATING LOSS

Comix had planned to celebrate with a three-night opening stand, Oct. 28-30, by the white-hot Greg Giraldo, one of the smartest and funniest in contemporary comedy.

Unfortunately, Giraldo passed away Sept. 29.

"We were so shocked and upset when Greg died. Absolutely devastated," Brauth says. "We weren't longtime best friends, but I considered him a friend. Sometimes, you know, it's not just about business. The lost dates were the least of our concerns."

Brauth recalls hanging out a bit with Giraldo at the recent Montreal Comedy Festival. "He was just a wonderful and kind person and was totally genuine."

- Rick Koster