City Cast Las Vegas

Earlier this week, Broadacres Marketplace announced it was closing indefinitely due to the thread of ICE raids — this hub of the Valley's Hispanic community attracts over 15,000 people each weekend, so what ripple effects will we see from the closure? Co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler sit down with TheList.Vegas creator Andrew Kiraly to discuss. They also tackle this week's ceremonial groundbreaking at the (possible, future, likely?) A's Stadium site, and universally beloved star Dolly Parton's upcoming residency in Las Vegas. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 27th episode: Southern Nevada Water Authority Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Las Vegas is renowned for its world-class dining, but beyond the glittering Strip lies a vibrant, mobile culinary scene that's gaining serious traction. Co-host Dayvid Figler chats with Las Vegas content creator Lydia Penn, who has been tracking the city's top food trucks. From hidden gems in local neighborhoods to the challenges of running a restaurant on wheels, Penn shares insights from her behind-the-scenes exploration of this fast-growing food movement. Mentioned in this episode: Hibachi Done Wright Birrieria Dimas Signora Pizza The Raider Claw 303 in the Cut Nattie's Thai Hapahaole's Ole Manny's Seafood Shack Khoury's Fine Wine Food Truck Calendar Learn more about the sponsors of this June 26th episode: Southern Nevada Water Authority Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The pandemic showed us how crucial fast, reliable internet access is to modern life — but in one downtown neighborhood, the installation of fast fiber internet created horrific problems. Neighborhood advocate Patricia Haddad Bennett tells co-host Sarah Lohman how high-speed internet installation resulted in sewage overflows and home damage, blocked and towed vehicles, and paved-over landscaping. So how did "microtrenching," their new construction method, play out, and who is to blame? And crucially, as fiber internet expands across the valley, how can your neighborhood prepare? Learn more about the sponsors of this June 25th episode: Southern Nevada Water Authority Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just ahead of Pride Month, the Nevada Legislature voted on May 22 to designate Las Vegas' longtime LGBTQ+ district, The Fruit Loop, as a historic landmark. Co-host Sarah Lohman speaks with Las Vegas PRIDE President Brady McGill and Nevada Current reporter Michael MJ Lyle to discuss the neighborhood's evolution over the decades and what the designation means for its future. They also share local insight and tips for making the most of a night out in one of the city's most storied hotspots. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 24th episode: ⁠Southern Nevada Water Authority⁠ Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on ⁠Instagram⁠, or email us at ⁠lasvegas@citycast.fm⁠. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter,⁠ Hey Las Vegas.⁠ Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at⁠ citycast.fm/advertise⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With so much wealth concentrated in Las Vegas, it's no surprise that our city has incredible art collections hidden in private homes or high-end casinos. We've also lost iconic pieces as casinos were demolished and collections were sold over the years. So where is all of this “lost” art, and will the people of Las Vegas ever get to see it? Co-host Dayvid Figler recently sat down with Heather Harmon, Executive Director of the future Las Vegas Museum of Art, for a ⁠live podcast taping⁠ at the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum — one space that does make a vast, important collection of art available to the public. They talk about where to find the masterpieces hidden around our city, and the interplay between the worlds of private collections and museums for all. Don't forget, listeners get 50% tickets to the ⁠Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum⁠ using the code CITYCASTLV through July 15. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 23rd episode: ⁠Southern Nevada Water Authority⁠ Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on ⁠Instagram⁠, or email us at ⁠lasvegas@citycast.fm⁠. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter,⁠ Hey Las Vegas.⁠ Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at⁠ citycast.fm/advertise⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

City Cast hosts are on the pulse of what's happening in our communities. So Dayvid Figler and all 12 other hosts sat down with City Cast CEO David Plotz to talk about creative local problem solving that might work in your hometown too and to commiserate about stressors affecting most of our cities, from unaffordable housing to bike lanes. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 2Oth episode: Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Monday, the Oakland/Sacramento/Las Vegas A's will hold a ceremonial groundbreaking for their new stadium on the site of the old Tropicana hotel. But after years of will-they-won't-they debates, is this enough to settle the question? Are the A's really coming to Las Vegas? Co-host Dayvid Figler assembles a panel of experts who weigh in from all sides of this equation for a lively debate about the chances the A's will actually stick the landing in Las Vegas. Featured today: Mick Akers, sports business reporter at the Review-Journal; Arash Markazi, CEO and founder of the Sporting Tribune; and Scott Roeben, AKA Vital Vegas, from Casino.org. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 18th episode: Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summer officially starts this Thursday. With Las Vegas on track to hit ⁠record-breaking heat⁠ again this year, locals face heightened health risks, including an increased threat of skin cancer. Protection from the desert sun requires more than the bare minimum sunscreen application. Dr. Matthew Schwartz from Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada joins co-host Dayvid Figler to give the sunny details and dark realities of sun exposure in our city and what we should do to learn not to burn. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 17th episode: ⁠Babbel⁠ - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on ⁠Instagram⁠, or email us at ⁠lasvegas@citycast.fm⁠. You can also call or text us at ⁠702-514-0719⁠. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter,⁠ Hey Las Vegas.⁠ Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at⁠ citycast.fm/advertise⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take to build not just a building, but an entirely new neighborhood in Las Vegas? Co-host Sarah Lohman talks with developers Weina Zhang and Anna Olin of Z Life, the woman-owned firm behind Midtown, a planned, high-density, mixed-use neighborhood north of the Arts District. The pair outlines their vision for a walkable urban district centered around condos, hotels, and local businesses, designed to support nearby workers. They also address concerns about affordability, gentrification, and the challenges of building vertically in a city traditionally defined by sprawl. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 16th episode: Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Protests over ICE raids and deportations are heating up in Las Vegas, with Wednesday night's protests ending in tear gas and arrests. In the meantime, debates over whether Las Vegas is a "sanctuary city" continue — but what does that even mean? Co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman are joined by Channel 8 morning anchor John Langeler to discuss. Also: the residents of Windsor Park, a sinking neighborhood in North Las Vegas, finally get help, and the Wizard of Oz gets a splashy new debut at the Sphere. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 13th episode: Southern Nevada Water Authority Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Classic red sauce Italian food goes right back to the mobster days of Las Vegas — and we've got a long list of old school Italian-American restaurants that thrive in the halo of nostalgia. But the recent closure of Battista's Hole in the Wall got us wondering: How well do they hold up with the new wave of chef-driven, ingredient-forward Italian cuisine taking over our fine dining scene? Co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler chat with food critic John Curtas to discuss the best and the worst of Las Vegas' Italian food scene. Mentioned in this episode: Capo's Restaurant and Speakeasy Piero's Italian Cuisine  Battista's Hole in the Wall (temporarily closed) Chicago Joe's Italian American Club The Bootlegger Italian Bistro Casa Di Amore Ferraro's Ristorante Nora's Italian Cuisine Monzú Italian Oven + Bar Vetri Cucina Matteo's Ristorante Italiano Brezza Basilico Esther's Kitchen Azzurra Cucina Roma Deli Mother Wolf Learn more about the sponsors of this June 12th episode: Slater's 50/50 - From Friday, June 13 through Father's Day Sunday, every dad who dines in gets a FREE bottle of our signature Bacon Salt to take home Southern Nevada Water Authority Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tourism and gambling have powered Las Vegas for decades — but with a historic decline in visitors and the uncertainty of a global trade war, many locals are starting to feel uneasy, even reminded of the 2008 recession. So how bad is it really, and what's being done to protect the city's future? Co-host Dayvid Figler talks with Shani Coleman from Clark County's Office of Community and Economic Development and Andrew Woods from UNLV's Center for Business and Economic Research about where things stand and how Las Vegas is trying to build a more resilient and diverse economy. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 11th episode: Slater's 50/50 - From Friday, June 13 through Father's Day Sunday, every dad who dines in gets a FREE bottle of our signature Bacon Salt to take home Southern Nevada Water Authority Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shootings aren't unheard of in a city as big as Las Vegas. But on Sunday night, a killing that appears to be targeted unfolded on a live YouTube stream in front of the Bellagio. Co-host Dayvid Figler is joined by executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson and Hey Las Vegas editor Rob Kachelriess to discuss everything we know so far. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 10th episode: Slater's 50/50 - From Friday, June 13 through Father's Day Sunday, every dad who dines in gets a FREE bottle of our signature Bacon Salt to take home Southern Nevada Water Authority Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oh Henderson. The cushy Southern Nevada suburb is quickly garnering a reputation for more than just manicured lawns and HOAs — the drama over ousted police chief Hollie Chadwick has bled into City Council politics, and it's the stuff of Bravo TV: A cease and desist over affair rumors, transparency complaints over police bigotry, and snippy retorts in council meetings. To help us break it all down, co-host Dayvid Figler talks with Review-Journal reporter Casey Harrison, who explains how all this beef could affect the upcoming mayoral race. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 9th episode: Southern Nevada Water Authority Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

City leaders were caught off guard late last week when the Department of Homeland Security listed Las Vegas as a sanctuary city for undocumented immigrants. Despite the surprise, Sheriff Kevin McMahill says it's unrelated to Metro's new agreement to cooperate with ICE. Co-host Dayvid Figler is joined by executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson and Nevada Current reporter Michael MJ Lyle to unpack the policy shift. Plus, the team discusses a new buyer facing an old HOA dispute over plans for the long-neglected Silverstone golf course and the possible public debut of the legendary Underground House. Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recorded live at the UnCommons, this special episode features co-host and award-winning culinary historian Sarah Lohman as she explores the surprising history of ice cream — from its origins as a luxury treat to its rise as a local obsession. Discover why Las Vegas has a special place in the frozen dessert scene, and what makes crafting ice cream in the desert so unique. Hosted by City Cast Las Vegas contributor and TheList.Vegas editor Andrew Kiraly. Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 83rd session of the Nevada Legislature wrapped up Monday night and the reviews — well, our guest today, Nevada Independent Capital Bureau Chief Tabitha Mueller, tells co-host Sarah Lohman that it ended with more of a "whimper" than a "bang." So what exactly did our lawmakers get done for Southern Nevada, who came out looking good, and did Governor Lombardo keep his promise of "no new taxes?" Update: Governor Lombardo's health care bill, mentioned in this episode, was not approved by the Assembly on the final day of the session. Be sure to check out the Nevada Independent's bill tracker and their Lombardo veto tracker for the latest on the legislation. Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas.Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Las Vegas locals notoriously love to hate visiting the Strip — especially as parking fees come and go. Luckily, neighborhood casinos serve multiple purposes within the community. From movie theaters to great restaurants to random giveaways, these off-Strip spots seem to have it all. But which ones truly cater to locals? Long-time Las Vegan Heather Collins (@raisedinvegas) joins co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler to debate what qualifies as a locals casino and where to find the best deals. Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode Description: In this special bonus episode of City Cast Las Vegas, sponsored by the Nevada State Museum Las Vegas, co-host Dayvid Figler chats with Josef Diaz, the Curator of History and Material Culture, about their featured exhibit on the Old Spanish Trail — a 2,700-mile trade route that helped shape the American West. From the goods that moved between New Mexico and California to the hardships and hidden histories along the way, including Native American slavery, this conversation sheds light on a vital but often overlooked chapter in Las Vegas' history. The exhibit is on view now at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas.  To learn about this episode sponsor visit the Nevada State Museum Las Vegas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Destinations in Las Vegas often get slotted into one of two categories: It's either a spot for locals, or a spot for tourists. But one place stands out as a tourist attraction that's equally beloved by locals — and it just so happens to be co-host Dayvid Figler's favorite spot in Las Vegas. So today, Dayvid takes co-host Sarah Lohman on a tour of the Pinball Hall of Fame and explains how to make the most of your $10 in quarters, and why this unique, interactive museum is so special. If you enjoyed today's interview with Nevada State Museum's Curator of History and Material Culture, Josef Diaz, learn more here. Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unexpected news came out of a recent Gaming Commission Board meeting — the Fontainebleau is ⁠under investigation⁠ for possible anti-money laundering violations. Then, Wednesday, news broke that the casino ⁠laid off⁠ dozens of dealers. Is the Fontainebleau OK? Co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler are joined by Battle Born Progress press secretary Jacob Solis to discuss this and more: Why Las Vegas' population is growing at ⁠double the national rate⁠, and what's up with all those Cabbage Patch Doll ⁠billboards⁠ around town. Don't forget, Vegas is experiencing ⁠extreme heat⁠ today, so try to avoid the outdoors at peak daylight hours and look up your nearest ⁠cooling station⁠ just in case. Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on ⁠Instagram⁠, or email us at ⁠lasvegas@citycast.fm⁠. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter,⁠ Hey Las Vegas.⁠ Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at⁠ citycast.fm/advertise⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

June brings triple digits, so we've got the best tips in town for coping with our own special version of seasonal depression: Co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman are joined by Nevada Current reporter Michael MJ Lyle to talk about their favorite events, eats, and excursions to make your summer not just bearable, but delightful. We've updated this episode to remove an error: In the original version, we stated that entry to Nevada state parks is free on Juneteenth (June 19). While that's true for our national parks, Nevada state parks are free on the second Saturday of June, which is June 14 this year. Apologies for any confusion, and thank you to listener Tyler K. for catching the error! If you're new here, welcome! We've put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Las Vegas community. For even more tips on how to make the most of June in Las Vegas, check out Hey Las Vegas's take on what to do this month. Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Mark Wahlberg moved to Las Vegas, the headlines quickly followed — Marky Mark has officially joined the pantheon of celebrities like Nic Cage and Celine Dion who call Vegas home. But what about the lower-profile celebs who aren't slinging tequila cocktails around town? Today, executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson quizzes our co-hosts, Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman, about the celebrities you maybe didn't know live in Las Vegas. Play along and see if you can beat their score! The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum is offering 50% off tickets to City Cast Las Vegas listeners! Visit rdamuseum.org/tickets and use the code CITYCASTLV at checkout. Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Circus Circus is officially on the market to the tune of $5 billion dollars. The hefty price tag for the aging property has raised some eyebrows along with speculation: Will Circus Circus find a buyer who will keep the casino intact, clowns and all? Today, we're bringing back a conversation that our co-hosts, Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler, had after visiting the newly-reopened annex to Circus Circus, Slots-A-Fun, and hear Dayvid's impassioned argument about why Circus Circus is actually amazing. Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on ⁠Instagram⁠, or email us at ⁠lasvegas@citycast.fm⁠. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter,⁠ Hey Las Vegas.⁠ Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at⁠ citycast.fm/advertise⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week in extremely 2025 content, county workers began a sweep of a homeless encampment in a wash near Flamingo & Maryland — but are also employing robots to scout out some of the more dangerous sections of the tunnels, where toxic fumes could put workers and the unhoused at risk. These "clean-ups" have long been a flashpoint for neighbors and advocates, so what's the bigger picture? Co-host Sarah Lohman talks with writer (and former Hey Las Vegas newsletter editor) Scott Dickensheets and Nevada Current editor April Corbin Girnus to discuss. They also talk about all the bills killed in this year's legislative session, and what it means when Bahama Breeze closes its doors for good. Learn more about the sponsors of this May 23rd episode: Southern Nevada Water Authority Barter Beer + Mall The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum is offering 50% off tickets to City Cast Las Vegas listeners! Visit rdamuseum.org/tickets and use the code CITYCASTLV at checkout. Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's May, which means that graduation season, summer visitors, and family reunions are in full swing — so where can you go out to eat with a giant crowd in Las Vegas? Co-host Dayvid Figler puts food influencer Phil Tzeng (AKA Las Vegas Fill) to the test with a series of tricky group dining scenarios, from dietary preferences to splitting the bill. Learn more about the sponsors of this May 22nd episode: Southern Nevada Water Authority Barter Beer + Mall Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For a quarter century, schoolchildren across the valley have been learning about desert conservation from Mojave Max, our city's beloved tortoise mascot. But what if the Mojave Max program was actually … bad for the desert? Today on City Cast Las Vegas, co-host Dayvid Figler talks with Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin Director at the Center for Biological Diversity. Patrick has some serious beef with Mojave Max, and it all starts, he says, with how the program was funded by the real estate developers who destroyed Mojave Max's habitat. Learn more about the sponsors of this May 21st episode: Southern Nevada Water Authority Barter Beer + Mall Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the speakeasy trend has waxed and waned in other cities, Las Vegas keeps the spirit of the secret bar with Prohibition-era cocktails alive in at least a dozen busy venues — but are they even really speakeasies anymore? Are we over the gimmick? And as it turns out, our frontier city didn't have to do much hiding during Prohibition … so did we actually even have speakeasies at all? Co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman, a culinary historian, sit down with newsletter editor and bar enthusiast Rob Kachelriess to discuss. Learn more about the sponsors of this May 20th episode: Southern Nevada Water Authority Barter Beer + Mall Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The GOP is making good on President Trump's spur-of-the-moment campaign promise to Nevadans by including a "no taxes on tips" provision in their budget bill — but it comes with a few strings attached. Co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with Nevada Independent reporter Gabby Birenbaum to discuss how the provision will impact Southern Nevada and our unique tipping culture. If you enjoyed today's interview with Barter Beer + Mall's GM, Steve Sansonetti, learn more here. Learn more about the other sponsors of this May 19th episode: Southern Nevada Water Authority Barter Beer + Mall Get tickets to our live episode recording at the RDA Museum on 5/22 HERE Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two hotels on the Strip, the Luxor and Treasure Island, are getting sued after guests claimed they were "massacred" by bed bugs and left with scars. So, how bad can bed bug bites really get, and is this a frivolous lawsuit? Co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler are joined by Nevada Current reporter Michael MJ Lyle to talk bed bugs. They also tackle the recent safety upgrades in RTC buses and transit centers, and the doctors from UNLV School of Medicine's inaugural class who are opting to stay in Las Vegas. Learn more about the sponsors of this May 16th episode: Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% off Get tickets to our live episode recording at the RDA Museum on 5/22 HERE Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A TikTok influencer was recently trolled after ⁠posting a video⁠ of herself raving over a simple raw tomato at LPM in the Cosmo (she called it "iconic"). But did she maybe have a point? Co-host Sarah Lohman sits down with executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson and newsletter editor Rob Kachelriess (who has tried the tomato in question) to discuss this and other viral food scandals in Las Vegas, from Nachogate to the cotton candy burrito — and which ones actually deserve our outrage. Learn more about the sponsors of this May 15th episode: ⁠Babbel⁠ - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST ⁠Prolonlife.com/city ⁠- Use this link for 15% off Get tickets to our live episode recording at the RDA Museum on 5/22 ⁠HERE⁠ Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on ⁠Instagram⁠, or email us at ⁠lasvegas@citycast.fm⁠. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter,⁠ Hey Las Vegas.⁠ Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at⁠ citycast.fm/advertise⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another summer, another Lake Mead update: And this year, it's not looking great. Our snowpack gains this winter were pretty dismal, and the National Weather Service recently even lowered their projections for Lake Powell, whose upstream levels affect Lake Mead's. In light of all this, we're bringing back a conversation that co-host Dayvid Figler had with UNLV hydrology professor David Kreamer. The creation of Lake Mead was not without its costs — so was it worth it? And what happens if we use Lake Mead up? Learn more about the sponsors of this May 14th episode: Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% off Get tickets to our live episode recording at the RDA Museum on 5/22 HERE Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas.Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

City Cast Las Vegas co-host Sarah Lohman is coming up on four years of living in Las Vegas — so can she call herself a real Las Vegas local yet, or what? To help answer this question, she talks with co-host Dayvid Figler, lifelong Las Vegan, and artist Brent Holmes, who's clocked 24 years in this town, about the "merit badges" you have to earn before you can call yourself a real Las Vegan (and yes, surviving three summers here counts as one). Learn more about the sponsors of this May 13th episode: Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% off Get tickets to our live episode recording at the RDA Museum on 5/22 HERE Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Northern Nevada U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei sparked backlash last week with a last-minute public lands amendment to a budget package — and that's because for three decades now, a special law called SNPLMA has sent a portion of federal land sales right back to Nevada's coffers. But Amodei's amendment would instead direct those funds straight to the U.S. Treasury, with nothing for Nevada. Co-host Dayvid Figler talks with Kristee Watson, executive director of the Nevada Conservation League, about the controversy and what it could mean for the future of Southern Nevada's landscape. Learn more about the sponsors of this May 12th  episode: Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% off Get tickets to our live episode recording at the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum on 5/22 HERE Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the Sphere issued Beyoncé a cease and desist order (!) for using an image of the Sphere in her concert visuals, she's now replaced it with Allegiant Stadium. Co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman are joined by Andrew Kiraly, creator of TheList.Vegas, to discuss whether or not the Sphere messed up — or if there's more to it. The trio also tackles the recent recall of Zoox robotaxis after an accident with a passenger vehicle, and what the gloomy outlook of the Legislature's Economic Forum could mean for Las Vegans. Learn more about the sponsors of this May 9th  episode: Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST The Neon Museum Get tickets to our live episode recording at the RDA Museum on 5/22 HERE Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the opening of his latest establishments, Petite Bohème and Bar Bohème, we think it's safe to say that Chef James Trees has created a restaurant empire in Las Vegas — and transformed the Arts District in lasting ways. Today, co-host Sarah Lohman sits down with Chef James to talk about his upbringing on the Eastside running with the "wrong crowd," how restaurants changed his life, what it was like returning to Las Vegas to start his flagship restaurant, Esther's, and where he thinks the dining scene in Las Vegas is headed. (And heads up: This conversation gets spicy!) As an added bonus: City Cast Las Vegas Neighbors get access to an extended cut of this conversation in their members-only feed. Find out how to join at membership.citycast.fm. Learn more about the sponsors of this May 8th episode: Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When MGM recently announced that it was replacing the entire concierge staff at six of its Vegas properties with "digital guest services," the hospitality world took note — is this a death knell for the concierge profession? And what does it say about where Las Vegas hospitality is headed? Co-host Dayvid Figler interviews Tyra Bell, a veteran Las Vegas concierge who at one point ran the largest concierge program in the world. Tyra talks about the wildest and most meaningful requests she's fielded, and where she sees AI fitting into the Vegas hospitality industry. Get more from City Cast Las Vegas when you become a City Cast Las Vegas Neighbor. You'll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members-only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm  Learn more about the sponsors of this May 7th episode: Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's easy to feel lonely in Las Vegas. With thousands of tourists in the city at any given moment, how do you find like-minded locals, and what do you say?! Today, we revisit a conversation with the founder of Black Girl Mixer and “friend concierge” Kailah Orr. She tells co-host Sarah Lohman the secret to making friends in Las Vegas and the surprising health benefits of building community. Speaking of great ways to meet like-minded locals, get more from City Cast Las Vegas when you become a City Cast Las Vegas Neighbor. You'll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members-only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm  Learn more about the sponsors of this May 6th  episode: Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Cozy Earth - Use code COZYLASVEGAS for 40% off best-selling sheets, towels, pajamas, and more. Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas.Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey, did you hear that story about the guy who wakes up in a hotel bathtub full of ice … missing his KIDNEYS? Our city is the backdrop for so many urban legends, so today, co-host Sarah Lohman sits down with Celestia Ward and Ben Radford — they're folklorists, professional skeptics, and co-hosts of the podcast Squaring the Strange, and they share their favorite Vegas urban legends, explain how to debunk them, and explore the grains of truth in each of these stories. Get more from City Cast Las Vegas when you become a City Cast Las Vegas Neighbor. You'll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm Learn more about the sponsors of this May 5th episode: Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Slater's 50/50 Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority released some sobering stats this week: At a time when tourism tends to uptick, we're seeing visitorship to Vegas on the decline. What does this forebode? Co-host Sarah Lohman talks with education advocate Patricia Haddad Bennett and Hey Las Vegas newsletter editor Rob Kachelriess about whether Las Vegas has nickel and dimed its customers past the brink. They also discuss two omnibus education bills moving through the legislative session and where these two visions for our schools diverge, and last but not least … sperm racing could be coming to Vegas soon. Yes, that's a thing, and we Googled it so you don't have to. Get more from City Cast Las Vegas when you become a City Cast Las Vegas Neighbor. You'll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm  Learn more about the sponsors of this May 2nd episode: Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Cozy Earth - Use code COZYLASVEGAS for 40% off best-selling sheets, towels, pajamas, and more. Slater's 50/50 Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even if it isn't officially summer, it's definitely heating up — so our co-hosts, Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman, are joined by Nothing To Do LV Eats founder Giselle D'souza to talk about the best way to spend May in Vegas before the real triple digit weather hits. If you're new here, welcome! We've put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Las Vegas community. For even more tips on how to make the most of April in Las Vegas, check out Hey Las Vegas's take on what to do this month. Learn more about the sponsors of this May 1st episode: Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Southern Nevada Water Authority Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this month, Elaine Wynn, a trailblazing casino executive and philanthropist, died at 82. To understand how Wynn shaped the Las Vegas we know today, co-host Sarah Lohman sits down with gaming industry veteran Alan Feldman. Together, they explore Wynn's pivotal role in redefining the city's image — from a gambling hub to a global destination for art, hospitality, and entertainment. Get more from City Cast Las Vegas when you become a City Cast Las Vegas Neighbor. You'll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm Learn more about the sponsors of this April 30th episode: Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Southern Nevada Water Authority Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices