

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

Apr 23, 2024 • 17min
How Well Do You Know Old Vegas History?
Myths about Las Vegas go all the way back to our city’s earliest days. Today, journalist Corey Levitan, creator of the Vegas Myths Busted series at Casino.org, quizzes our two hosts, Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman, about how well they know old Vegas history. Play along and let us know how you did!We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719.Want some more Las Vegas news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here.

Apr 22, 2024 • 23min
Why the Las Vegas Mayoral Election Matters
This June, for the first time in 25 years, Las Vegas voters will face a mayoral ballot without a single Goodman on it. But given our valley’s odd jurisdictional boundaries, less than half of Southern Nevadans actually live within the city and can vote for the Las Vegas mayor. So why does this election matter to the whole Vegas Valley? How did the Mayors Goodman transform the role for a global stage — and what’s next for our city? Co-host Sarah Lohman sits down with Channel 13 senior political reporter Steve Sebelius to find out.Today’s episode kicks off Mayoral Mondays, our special series on the 2024 Las Vegas mayoral race. Make sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Hey Las Vegas newsletter to stay up to date on candidate interviews and more!We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719.Want some more Las Vegas news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here.

Apr 19, 2024 • 35min
Police Barricade Destroys Home, a Politician’s Very Public Mistake, and Visitors Vandalise Lake Mead
On this week’s Friday News Roundup, we lay out all the details from a Henderson police barricade situation that resulted in the suspect deceased and the front of a home ripped away. Also, Assemblywoman Danielle Gallant gets a policy she voted for wrong and issues an apology after receiving backlash in videos posted to social media. Lastly, National park rangers are asking the public to help identify two men videoed pushing over ancient rock formations at Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Dayvid Figler is joined by his co-host Sarah Lohman and local policy wonk and communications lead at Battle Born Progress Jacob Solis.Also, a few announcements: Make sure to tune in on Monday, April 22nd for the launch of our new series, Mayoral Mondays. We kick things off with a conversation with Channel 13’s senior political reporter Steve Sebelius on why this mayoral race is important to everyone in the Valley, even if you can’t vote on the position. After that, we have interviews with the candidates airing every Monday until the election.As of this weekend, we’re airing our Friday News Roundups on KUNV (91.5 FM) on Sunday mornings at 6 a.m. So if you are tuning in for the first time welcome! We discuss the week’s top news every Friday in addition to daily episodes and newsletters Monday through Friday. You can learn more at lasvegas.citycast.fm.We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719.Want some more Las Vegas news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here.

Apr 18, 2024 • 20min
Why Nevada is Siding Against the Kroger-Albertsons Merger
The Kroger-Albertsons merger proposed in 2022 is still in the works, but the FTC has raised alarm bells about the consequences a merger of this magnitude would have on consumers. And about a month ago, the Nevada Attorney General’s office announced it was joining the FTC and seven other states in a lawsuit to block the proposal. So today, we’re revisiting a conversation co-host David Figler had in September with food justice writer Kim Foster and Nevada Current editor April Corbin Girnus about the impact a merger like this would have on our city, grocery workers, and consumers.We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719.Want some more Las Vegas news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here.

Apr 17, 2024 • 25min
Is Vegas the Epicenter of a Burlesque Revival?
Most people know a little about the mob and their part in building the Las Vegas we know today, but what you might not realize is how integral burlesque was in cementing Vegas’ sinful status. As new burlesque shows pop up left and right in the city, co-host Sarah Lohman takes a look back on the history of the American art form with burlesque stars Dirty Martini from DITA Las Vegas and Buttercup from the Burlesque Hall of Fame. They discuss why we are seeing a revival and how Las Vegas can help fight the misconceptions of burlesque.Shows mentioned:DITA LAS VEGAS: A Jubilant Revue at the HorseshoeLady Like: A Retro Modern Burlesque Show at Virgin HotelsThe Jiggle Room at CheapshotsLost Spirits Distillery at AREA15 (closing April 29)Viva Las Vegas (Rockabilly Weekend) at The Orleans on April 18 - 21Sinful: A Night of Sin City’s Finest Stripteasers at The Fat Cat on May 11Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender at The Orleans on June 6 - 9We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719.Want some more Las Vegas news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here.

Apr 16, 2024 • 19min
These Public Figures Said What??
We’re only four months into 2024, but we’ve already heard some infuriating, hilarious, or, honestly, kinda out-there quotes on Vegas issues in the news. So today, Executive Producer Sonja Cho Swanson invites co-hosts David Figler and Sarah Lohman to a game of “Guess Who Said It” to reflect on all the shenanigans our city finds itself in and, of course, win some bragging rights!

Apr 15, 2024 • 19min
O.J. Simpson’s Fraught Legacy in Las Vegas
O.J. Simpson died at his home in Las Vegas on Thursday at age 76; the cause was cancer. He’s arguably one of our city’s most controversial celebrities, trailed by the specter of that notorious 1995 murder trial, and then later, his 2008 conviction for armed robbery at Palace Station right here in Vegas. Co-host Dayvid Figler, who is also a lawyer, was there in 2008 as an expert commentator for Court TV — he and executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson discuss the stakes of that trial (and what made it so unusual), why O.J. made Las Vegas home after serving time in Nevada, and what he means to our city of second chances, for better and worse.We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719.Want some more Las Vegas news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here.

Apr 12, 2024 • 35min
The Summerlin Shooting, the Monorail’s Future, and a Strip Club Court Battle
New details have emerged about the acrimonious child custody case at the heart of the Summerlin law firm shooting — but it also raises the question, how did things get this bad in the first place, and are we talking about this all wrong? Co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler sit down with contributor Andrew Kiraly, creator of thelist.vegas, to discuss. Next up, we break down just why the monorail is feuding with media outlets over reports of its eventual demise, and wrap up with the curious case of a strip club lawsuit: Spearmint Rhino is suing Peppermint Hippo over copyright infringement… but is there really any confusion? We wrap up with a little game: What would your knock-off Vegas business be named?We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719.Want some more Las Vegas news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here.

Apr 11, 2024 • 24min
The Hottest New Bars in Las Vegas
As we emerge from winter hibernation of our comfy, cozy regular haunts, spring and summer invite us to venture further afield when trying new bars and eateries. Co-host Sarah Lohman sits down with Neon News editor-in-chief Gemini Stevens to talk about the hottest new bars in Las Vegas right now — and what our drink scene is still missing.Bars mentioned in the episode:Wineaux at the UnCommonsCrush Pad Wine BarGaragisteThe Silver StampSer Veh ZahCin Cin BrewhouseHola HabibiTodo Bien at the UnCommonsLiquid DietThe Bel-Aire Lounge at the DurangoBar GinzaStray PirateFat Cat in the Downtown GrandTiki Di AmoreMojave Brewing CompanyHugo’s Cellar at the Four QueensWe’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719.Want some more Las Vegas news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here.

Apr 10, 2024 • 24min
How VGK Revolutionized NHL Pregame Shows
No one expected much when the Vegas Golden Knights played their first season in 2017. Now, since the team’s success in their first season and winning the Stanley Cup in their 6th, it’s hard to find a Las Vegan who doesn’t rep VGK merch. And key to their success in the community? The spectacular entertainment at every home game. The energy they create in the arena during their pregame shows is unlike any other team in the league — and today, VGK entertainment is legendary (c’mon, they even dropped a hockey puck from SPACE). Tyler Ferraro, VGK’s Director of Entertainment Experience, tells co-host Dayvid Figler what it takes to produce a pregame show only Vegas could handle.We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719.Want some more Las Vegas news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here.