

City Cast Las Vegas
City Cast
City Cast Las Vegas is a daily podcast and newsletter created by and for locals (and locals-at-heart) that’ll challenge the easy narratives about our city … and, okay, maybe confirm a few of them, too. Las Vegas is a city of reinvention, bursting at the seams as it welcomes newcomers into its various incarnations as a service-worker union town, a military town, a college town, and, most recently, a sports town.There’s a four-mile street testifying to our entrepreneurial genius, not far from pockets of staggering inequality. Great wealth runs through our city, but how much of that actually stays in Vegas? We’re independent in spirit, but also ruled by orange traffic cones. Our 2.5 million residents anchor an ever-changing city of 42 million visitors.Join us every morning for the messy, delightful, complicated conversations that Las Vegans are having: You’ll hear us ask hard questions about where we’ll get our water when Lake Mead runs out, and how we’ll keep housing affordable. We’ll argue over our favorite Chinatown bars, and share insider tips on the best tacos in town. City Cast Las Vegas will show you how loving a city means celebrating it and also holding it accountable, while having some fun along the way—because Las Vegans know how to have a good time.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 18, 2025 • 33min
Do We Need HOV Lanes? Plus, Housing Vouchers and UNO at the Palms
HOV lanes are back in the headlines, thanks to the efforts of Lt. Governor Stavros Anthony. Are they actually "useless," as he claims? And how did HOV lanes enter the culture wars? Co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler discuss this with Nevada Current reporter Michael MJ Lyle. They also tackle the imminent loss of pandemic-era housing vouchers, and why everyone on the internet was convinced that you can now gamble on UNO (spoiler: not exactly).
Learn more about the sponsors of this July 16th episode:
Crush Pad
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.

Jul 17, 2025 • 27min
Vegas Loves the Drive-Thru. But Should We?
Las Vegas didn't technically invent the drive-thru (that honor goes to L.A.) but we've taken the concept to its logical extremes: Vegas is responsible for drive-thru weddings, drive-thru betting, and drive-thru weed. But do drive-thrus come at a cost? Today, co-host Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman are joined by executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson for a lively debate about the pros and cons of drive-thrus, the best ones in Vegas, and whether we'll ever truly outgrow them.
Learn more about the sponsors of this July 17th episode:
Crush Pad
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.

Jul 16, 2025 • 23min
Was Vegas Really Better When the Mob Ran It?
Head into the comment section of almost any news article and you're bound to find this comment: "Things were better when the mob ran Vegas." But … were they? Co-host Sarah Lohman talks with Geoff Schumacher, VP of Exhibits and Programs at The Mob Museum about what life was really like back then — and why nostalgia for this era is so prevalent today. Also, heads up: We've got an extended cut in the members-only feed that goes into the origins of the Vegas mob and all the businesses they ran in town. Get your members-only feed by becoming a City Cast Las Vegas Neighbor.
Learn more about the sponsors of this July 16th episode:
Crush Pad
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.

Jul 15, 2025 • 23min
Should Las Vegas Restrict E-Bikes and E-Scooters?
Tomorrow, the Las Vegas City Council will consider a bill that puts new restrictions on e-bikes and e-scooters, including a ban along the Fremont Street Experience — echoing recent measures by Henderson and Clark County (which banned the devices from the Strip). This comes as deaths on e-bikes and e-scooters have doubled this year. Las Vegas Weekly staff writer Tyler Schneider joins co-host Sarah Lohman to talk about why the devices are getting deadlier, and what solutions are out there.
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.

Jul 14, 2025 • 25min
Can a Lawsuit Stop the Construction of a New Homeless Facility?
Shelter beds for the unhoused are desperately needed in Las Vegas, but the proposed Campus For Hope, a transitional housing facility slated for construction at Charleston and Jones, is meeting neighborhood resistance — neighbors have even filed a lawsuit against the state, saying the project was rushed through without their input. So what's really going on here, and what's next for the Campus For Hope? Co-host Dayvid Figler talks with Fox5 anchor Jaclyn Schultz, who's been following the story.
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.

Jul 11, 2025 • 37min
LVCVA Controversies, Fremont Construction Headaches, and Bellagio's New Boat
As Vegas tourism continues to take hit after hit, the news of Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority head Steve Hill's recent raise has, well, raised eyebrows — and this comes in a week when even more controversy hits the agency. Co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman sit down with TheList.Vegas creator Andrew Kiraly to discuss this and other news, including the construction on Fremont East that's devastating small businesses, and the arrival of a yacht on the Bellagio lake.
Learn more about the sponsors of this July 11th episode:
Nevada Shakespeare Fest
Learn more about becoming a City Cast Las Vegas Neighbor at membership.citycast.fm.
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.

Jul 10, 2025 • 26min
Do Vegas Restaurants Need the Michelin Guide?
A Michelin star is one of the highest accolades in the culinary world — yet Las Vegas, despite its ever-evolving food scene, hasn’t seen the Michelin Guide return since 2009. In the absence of that global benchmark, local voices have stepped in. The Las Vegas Review-Journal’s newly released list of the top 100 restaurants of 2025 aims to spotlight the city's culinary talent. Restaurant reporter Johnathan L. Wright joins co-host Sarah Lohman to explore how restaurants are rated, how they decide what’s “best,” and whether these rankings still hold meaning in today’s food culture.
Learn more about the sponsors of this July 10th episode:
Nevada Shakespeare Fest
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.

Jul 9, 2025 • 22min
Why Are People Fighting Over Noise in the Arts District?
The Arts District is up in arms over a proposed noise ordinance amendment — one that's pitting new housing developers against the local arts community. Notably, the founders of Midtown, a condo development slated for the north end of Charleston, have drawn the ire of artists and small businesses for their support of ordinances that would shut down live music after 10 p.m. (We interviewed the Midtown developers recently on this podcast.) Today, co-host Dayvid Figler talks with Jeff Hwang, owner of the downtown restaurant and music venue Taverna Costera. They dispel myths about the very public debate and explore what this backlash means for gentrification of the Arts District.
Learn more about the sponsors of this July 9th episode:
Nevada Shakespeare Fest
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.

Jul 8, 2025 • 24min
What's Up With All the Fires at Wetlands Park?
The most recent fire at the Wetlands Park burned through over 100 acres — and brings the total fire count at the Wetlands up to four so far this year. The footage of the flames was shocking. But was it normal? How common are fires at the Wetlands, and why does it seem like they've been getting worse? Co-host Sarah Lohman talks with Clark County Deputy Fire Chief Brian O'Neal and Senior Program Administrator of the Clark County Wetlands Park Liz Bickmore about what caused the fire and how this will impact the Wetlands.
Learn more about the sponsors of this July 8th episode:
Nevada Shakespeare Fest
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.

Jul 7, 2025 • 21min
How to Get Outdoors in the Vegas Summer Heat
Yes, you could spend every summer hibernating or hopping from AC-chilled building to building. But there are actually ways to enjoy the outdoors even in the middle of a Vegas July (yes, for real!). Today, co-host Sarah Lohman talks with Bertha Gutierrez, Nevada program director for the Conservation Lands Foundation. She shares her favorite sunrise spots, night hiking events, and vital safety tips for communing with nature at the height of summer.
Learn more about the sponsors of this July 7th episode:
Nevada Shakespeare Fest
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.