

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

Aug 5, 2024 • 25min
Should Vegas Have Spent $2 Million on Influencers?
Las Vegas media outlets are abuzz with the news that our city’s marketing arm, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) paid influencers over $2 million in the last couple of years to market the city — and the Authority’s refusal to release all of their payment records. But influencer marketing is par for the course these days, so what makes this initiative so controversial? Today, co-host Dayvid Figler and executive producer talk with local influencer Phil Tzeng about the ins and outs of influencer marketing, how much they get paid, and what kinds of ethical standards influencers should be held to.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.

Aug 2, 2024 • 35min
Voter ID on the Ballot, Restaurant Labor Violations, and JD Vance in Henderson
The Nevada Independent recently broke the news that Las Vegas Sands quietly funded a new ballot initiative to require Nevadans to show ID when voting. So why does that matter? Co-host Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman are joined by Nevada Current editor April Corbin Girnus to discuss. Next, the team looks at a recent spate of Department of Labor investigations in Las Vegas restaurants, including Blaze Pizza’s child labor violations, and Juan’s Flaming Fajita and Cantina wage theft fines. And lastly, when JD Vance came to Henderson this week, he mispronounced “Nevada” several times — and no one batted an eye. Why? And what political gaffes would be the worst possible ones to make in Las Vegas, for any hypothetical politician?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.

Aug 1, 2024 • 21min
Why the Breast Milk Industry Is Running Dry in Nevada
In 2017, Elena Medo, the “mother of the breast milk industry,” moved to Boulder City and set up Medolac, her third breast milk company — a bank that paid women for breast milk donations, and processed sterilized, shelf-stable breast milk for premature babies in hospitals. But paying women for breast milk (rather than receiving it as a donation) is controversial. And after facing lawsuits from a competitor in this fiercely contested industry, Medolac is now shuttered. Medo’s bank is being auctioned off this week. Did Nevada just lose a life-saving resource for hospitalized babies? Or is the for-profit model fundamentally flawed? Co-host Sarah Lohman talks with Elena Medo to learn more about why she started Medolac and what’s next for the industry.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 31, 2024 • 22min
What Could Project 2025 Mean for Nevadans?
Project 2025 is a whopping 920-page policy plan created by the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank, with the intention of giving a ready-to-go guidebook to a second Trump administration, if elected. While Trump has denounced the plan, Democrats have turned it into a rallying cry. But what could it mean for Nevadans? Nevada Current reporter Dana Gentry has been going through the plan page by page and recently launched a series of articles about how the proposed plan would affect us — from immigration to LGBTQ rights 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.

Jul 30, 2024 • 28min
Your Guide to August in Las Vegas
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.The summer heat takes on a whole new dimension with the arrival of monsoon season this month (learn from our city’s weirdest mascot, Drainger Danger, and “turn around, don’t drown”). But we’ve got loads of other tips for how to make the most of August in this episode, curated by local experts: Our co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman, plus Melinda Sheckells, editor of The Town: Summerlin magazine. And if you love our picks for bars in this episode, don’t miss our recent episode about the hottest new bars in Vegas.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 29, 2024 • 25min
Was the Brightline West Groundbreaking Premature?
In April of this year, on the outskirts of Las Vegas, Brightline West broke ground on what could be the nation’s first true high speed rail to general praise and glowy optimism. But was that premature? Not only is it unclear where half of the $12 billion in projected costs is coming from, but City Cast recently spoke with Nevada-based high speed rail experts who say they have a lot of outstanding safety questions — especially given Brightline’s safety record in Florida. Today, Sarah Lohman sits down with her City Cast co-host Dayvid Figler, who’s been reporting this story and talking to the experts.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 26, 2024 • 32min
Elderly Casino Robbers, the Neon Museum’s Big Move, and the Best Biden-Vegas Memes
After news broke that an elderly couple made off with over $600k at the Primm Valley Casino (before being apprehended at their Las Vegas home), the internet basically had two reactions: 1. Awe that someone in their 70s could jump over a casino counter and (almost) get away with this. 2. Depression, because one possible motive cited was the couple’s mounting medical bills. Today, co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler are joined by Nevada Current reporter Michael MJ Lyle to discuss this news, plus: The Neon Museum’s big move to the Arts District and what this could mean for the Cultural Corridor they’re leaving behind, and the memes and misinformation about Joe Biden’s very last presidential campaign stop, right here in Las Vegas.Learn more about the sponsors of this July 26th episode here:Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCASTIncogni - Use code CityCast for 55% off the annual plan.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 25, 2024 • 23min
An Insider’s Guide to Vegas Sex Clubs
As valley residents retreat into air conditioned spaces behind closed doors, one door remains mysterious to most of us here in Las Vegas: Famed local sex club, the Green Door. So what really happens at sex clubs like the Green Door, the Red Rooster, and Whispers? We’re bringing back a conversation that co-host Sarah Lohman had with kink educator and podcast co-host Gemini Stevens, who answers all of our questions about the written and unwritten rules of Vegas sex clubs.Learn more about the sponsors of this July 25th episode here: Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCASTIncogni - Use code CityCast for 55% off the annual plan.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 24, 2024 • 23min
How to Sound Like a Real Vegas Local
Brent Holmes and Justin Favela, talented local artists and lifelong residents of Las Vegas, share their rich insights into the city’s unique vernacular. They discuss how local pronunciation subtly marks you as a native, particularly the infamous 'Nevada.' The duo dives into the cultural influences that shape speech patterns, from Spanish to hospitality jargon. They also joke about the nuances of local slang and how it reflects the vibrant lifestyle of Las Vegas, creating a fun exploration of language intertwined with the city’s identity.

Jul 23, 2024 • 23min
What if Clark County Was “Las Vegas County” Instead?
Earlier this month, Clark County Commission Chairman Tick Segerblom commented on Twitter that the county should change its name to “Las Vegas County,” doubling down on this in a later interview with the Review-Journal. So is Commish Tick right? How does the rocky history of contention between the county and the city of Las Vegas play into Segerblom’s proposal, and who was this Clark fella, anyhow? Today, co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler sit down with UNLV professor of history Michael Green to discuss.Learn more about the sponsors of this July 23rd episode here:Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCASTIncogni - Use code CityCast for 55% off the annual plan.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 here.