As we all look back in 2023, we gotta ask: Who would be on your naughty and nice list in Vegas this year? Co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler sit down with contributor and Nevada Current editor April Corbin Girnus to talk about the people, institutions, and forces of nature that won our admiration or approbation this year. Hint: One of them is F1. Do you think they’re in the nice or naughty column? We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram . You can also call or text us at...
Dec 20, 2023•22 min
December saw the grand opening of not just one, but TWO major casino openings in Las Vegas: The Durango, a hotly anticipated venue for locals, and the Fontainebleau, a long-awaited luxury destination for the tourist crowd. So who did it better? And did 16 years of waiting up the ante just a little too much for Fontainebleau? Today, co-host Sarah Lohman sits down with producer Layla Muhammad and co-host Dayvid Figler to compare, contrast, and sass (just a little) about the Durango vs. the Fontain...
Dec 19, 2023•24 min
At the beginning of the year, it was estimated that 60,000 people would move to Las Vegas in 2023 — and while we’re still waiting on the official numbers, we know that 5,000 people moved to Vegas from L.A. in August alone. So if you’re a newbie, don’t worry — you’re not alone. Las Vegas has always been a city of newcomers. Today, we bring back an episode from January, in which co-host Dayvid Figler and executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson invite Vegas newbie Kristine Johnson to ask her burning V...
Dec 18, 2023•20 min
Our friends over at Matt and Mattingly’s Ice Cream Social recently hosted our very own Dayvid Figler on their comedy podcast. Dayvid talks about highlights and behind-the-scenes from City Cast, and why his dream guest is Nicholas Cage. We’re delighted to share an excerpt from this fun conversation with you — for the full episode, head over to heyscoops.com . 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...
Dec 16, 2023•54 min
The recall of 2 million Teslas this week for problems with the autopilot software was months in the making — but it’s got us thinking in Las Vegas: What does this mean for the Las Vegas Loop? On today’s Friday news roundup, co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler sit down with contributor Andrew Kiraly to break down why the vehicles were recalled, and what it says about Elon Musk’s Boring Co. ambitions. Next up, the beleaguered Animal Foundation gets new funding (and apparently more oversight) a...
Dec 15, 2023•34 min
A lot of us locals love to hate on palm trees in our landscaping — but did you know that they can produce edible fruit? Phoenix dactylifera , the date palm, produces those brown, wrinkly, caramel-flavored fruits that show up in Christmas cakes, Ramadan tables, and the date shakes you always see advertised along the I-15. So today, our co-hosts, Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman, a food historian and author of the book Endangered Eating , sit down to talk about the date palm’s winding road from the ...
Dec 14, 2023•21 min
Our city has 2.3 million residents but 38 million visitors annually, so it’s no surprise that locals have a love-hate relationship with tourists. After all, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas — but so do we. Today, co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman welcome artist, podcaster and lifelong Las Vegan Justin Favela, AKA Favy Fav, to discuss our new rules for tourists: How to actually do Vegas right, and do right by Las Vegas. Don’t forget to check out the new season of Justin’s podcast “ The...
Dec 13, 2023•23 min
The Culinary Union’s recent contract negotiations with the “Big Three” casino companies on the Strip were by all accounts historic. So what exactly did they win — and how? Today, co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with Culinary 226 Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge to discuss the inner workings of those negotiations. Why do they last until 6am, who has to pay for the food, and was it all (as some commentators have suggested ) for show? Plus, Dayvid and Ted get into a spirited conversation about C...
Dec 12, 2023•24 min
Looking for gift ideas? City Cast Las Vegas’ producers Layla Muhammad and Sonja Swanson have you covered with recommendations on what to get teenagers and that quirky friend, as well as thoughtful but inexpensive gifts and more! Local recommendations mentioned: Writer’s Block Tat Bar Solection Death Drop Roller Skate Shop Antique Alley Mall Akin Cooperative The Phone Booth Best of Luck Designs Vogue’s Sip & Pour Memori.ES702 Arte Museum Snacks from around the world: Rani’s World Market on Sa...
Dec 11, 2023•21 min
It’s been a heavy week of news in Las Vegas, and our thoughts are with the victims of both recent mass shootings and their loved ones. The first happened last Friday, December 1st at a homeless encampment near Charleston Boulevard and Sandhill Road that saw four injured and one killed. The second at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on Wednesday left 3 faculty members killed and one injured, currently in life-threatening condition. And on Wednesday, six Pro-Trump fake electors were indicted by...
Dec 08, 2023•28 min
On Wednesday morning, a mass shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas saw three people and the shooter confirmed dead along with another victim hospitalized. Executive Producer Sonja Cho Swanson, Producer Layla Muhammad and co-host Dayvid Figler take a measured look at how our city responds when public shootings occur, and relay stories of the confusion and chaos that unfolded hour by hour earlier in the day. We also assess law enforcement’s press conferences, and why the community needs ...
Dec 07, 2023•23 min
The hype around the Sphere has been endless — and by all accounts, seeing a show at the Sphere is actually pretty mind-blowing. But how do you get the most out of your Sphere experience, and are those hefty ticket prices worth it? To find out, we sent producer Layla Muhammad to see the immersive Aronofsky film " Postcard from Earth " at the Sphere. She debriefs with co-host Sarah Lohman, and they talk about how to get the best seats, where to find the best food, and just how creepy the robots in...
Dec 06, 2023•21 min
About an hour away from Las Vegas on the south Nevada/California border sits the Amargosa Valley. Named for the Amargosa River, the area made headlines earlier this year concerning lithium mining efforts in the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Now, according to Amargosa Conservancy executive director Mason Voehl, is the best time to see the basin that offers a variety of attractions and natural wonders. From sand dunes to hot springs, a date farm to an opera house, Voehl tells co-host Sarah...
Dec 05, 2023•24 min
Forget New York — Las Vegas is the real city that never sleeps. Our city has a higher percentage of night-shift workers than any other city in the country. But while our bars, restaurants, and grocery stores once catered to both the graveyard shift and sleepless tourists with round-the-clock service, 24-hour venues are getting harder and harder to find. Co-host Dayvid Figler and contributor Brent Holmes, both lifelong Las Vegans who grew up with graveyard shift parents, share their favorite witc...
Dec 04, 2023•22 min
So it turns out that the London Sphere might still have a chance after all : the UK “Secretary of Leveling Up” is requesting another look at the plans. As residents with front-row seats to the Sphere spectacle, we discuss: Who’s making the right call here? And do we want Vegas to keep the only MSG Sphere in the world? Co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with contributor Vogue Robinson and executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson to talk about the week in news. We also discuss Dr. Miriam Adelson’s sale o...
Dec 01, 2023•28 min
When someone asks about the “quintessential” Las Vegas dining experience, you might say the buffets or high-end restaurants on the Boulevard. But in a conversation from this summer, internationally ranked competitive eater and local Derek Hendrickson tells co-host Dayvid Figler why “there’s nothing more Vegas” than a food challenge. So if you are looking for an activity to do with your holiday visitors or wanting to test your own limits, Derek ranks the top food challenges in Vegas and shares so...
Nov 30, 2023•23 min
The dust around our city’s very first Formula 1 Grand Prix has settled, and the countdown clock for next year’s F1 has begun (359 days, to be exact). But what lessons can we learn from both the spectacle and the debacle of this year’s event? Co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with Jonathan Jossel, CEO of the Plaza Hotel and Casino, which sits outside the F1 loop. They have a frank conversation about both the upsides and the downsides of F1, who this year’s event mainly benefitted, and how F1 can do...
Nov 29, 2023•20 min
December is crammed full of festive gatherings, holiday events, and entertainment catering to both locals and the holiday tourist crowd. To help us sort through the noise, writer Eric Duran-Valle from TheList.Vegas sits down with co-host Sarah Lohman to talk about the events, eateries, and outdoor must-sees that he’s most excited about this month. Event recs: Dec. 7-16: Cowboy Christmas at Las Vegas Convention Center ( link ) Dec. 8: N8NOFACE at The Usual Place ( link ) Dec. 10: TubaChristmas at...
Nov 28, 2023•23 min
Las Vegas might be the tourist capital of the world, but not everyone comes away happy. So executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson collected some of the most extreme 1-star reviews from disgruntled visitors and today, co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman go head to head in a quiz game show. Can you guess which iconic Vegas attractions these 1-star reviews describe? 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 Vega...
Nov 27, 2023•22 min
On Thanksgiving in 1966, Howard Hughes arrived in Las Vegas in the dead of night on a secret train from Boston. The billionaire businessman, aviator, and movie producer was highly eccentric and at this point in his life had little to no communication with the outside world. As he secluded himself on the 9th floor of the Desert Inn hotel, he began to reshape the future of Las Vegas by buying up casinos and land. But what attracted him to Las Vegas in the first place? Last Thanksgiving, former co-...
Nov 22, 2023•17 min
F1 has come and gone — but our city is a house divided when it comes to the big race postmortem. So today, executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson sits down with co-host Dayvid Figler (who attended the race) to break it all down: We chat about some very bizarre components of the “production” (is actor Jared Leto doing poetry?), the view from the stands, and how even non-fans got caught up in the action. And as hard as it’ll be to figure out the real economic impact, maybe the ultimate measure of “s...
Nov 21, 2023•22 min
Last week, 8 teens were arrested in connection with the brutal beating death of Rancho high schooler Jonathan Lewis, Jr. His death is the latest of many high-profile instances of violence in schools that have shaken our community. Today, co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with Nevada Current deputy editor April Corbin Girnus — they attempt to make some sense of why these events are happening and what schools can do. We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram . You can also call or...
Nov 20, 2023•21 min
Politico recently broke the news that NV Attorney General Aaron Ford is investigating the fake electors who attempted to overturn the results of our fair and free elections in 2020 — so is this another reminder of the flaws in our electoral system, and why might Nevada still want electors after all? Co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman are joined by Nevada Independent reporter Jacob Solis to discuss this investigation, along with the results of a federal investigation into the deadly 2022 cra...
Nov 17, 2023•37 min
A traditional Thanksgiving conjures up images of stuffed poultry, multiple place settings, and endless hours in the kitchen. But we’re Las Vegas, and we break all the rules — so today, co-host Sarah Lohman chats with award-winning food writer Kim Foster about how to have the chillest, most Vegas-y Thanksgiving ever. Plus, who says you even have to cook at all? With all the culinary talent in this town, take-out and dining out options abound, and Kim’s got a list of recs (yes, one of them is a “D...
Nov 16, 2023•20 min
Formula 1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix is finally here and the reception to it so far has been… lukewarm. With locals already tired from the 6 months of construction and increased traffic, there are now reports that fan excitement was overestimated and ticket prices are dropping faster than the cars can make it around the 3.8 mile track. So is this just first-year growing pains or will all the issues amount to a poorly attended (and rainy) race weekend? Journalist Alan Snel from LVSportBiz.com tells h...
Nov 15, 2023•23 min
Mother Nature’s blockbuster Southern Nevada residency is suffering from its own success: Humans are increasingly crowding the beautiful places. Today, co-host Dayvid Figler asks Bertha Gutierrez, program director for the Conservations Lands Foundation, why the organization wants to draw even more of us outside, and how their tiny “ spokespebble ” is part of the solution. We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram . You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719 . Want some more L...
Nov 14, 2023•20 min
It’s giving season (though the need for food items is year-round) — and you might be surprised by some of the items that aren’t very useful at food pantries. Rae Lathrop, Director at Desert Spring Community Resource Center , talks with co-host Sarah Lohman about the do’s and don’ts of donating food, how anyone can access their services, and what food pantries really need. We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram . You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719 . Want some more ...
Nov 13, 2023•22 min
After months of negotiations, at the 11th hour before F1 comes to Las Vegas, the biggest casino companies in Las Vegas have come to the table with the Culinary Union and hashed out agreements that all sides are calling “historic.” So what makes them so significant, and what impact will these new contracts have on the tens of thousands of casino employees included in this process? Today, co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman sit down with TheList.Vegas publisher Andrew Kiraly to discuss how Veg...
Nov 10, 2023•33 min
Dating in Las Vegas is already hard enough without the pressure to plan the perfect night to impress that special someone. So whether you have fully subscribed to “cuffing season” or just need some fresh ideas for navigating the Las Vegas food scene, we’ve got you covered at every price point. Al Mancini, creator of Neon Feast , joins executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson and host Dayvid Figler to hook you up with their recs for the best romantic date night dinners in Vegas. We’re on social media...
Nov 09, 2023•28 min
The Nevada Independent and local PBS have just launched a new joint endeavor called the Nevada Democracy Project . Its goal is to increase civic engagement in Las Vegas and Nevada ahead of the 2024 elections through community listening sessions. During the first session at the West Las Vegas Library last week, community members raised issues about redlining, racism, and poor investment, but also asked what the media will do with this information afterwards. Host Dayvid Figler brings these and ot...
Nov 08, 2023•20 min
