February is going to be a wild time in Las Vegas (we’ve got the Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day, plus all of these new residencies) — but lucky you, City Cast Las Vegas is going to help you make the most of this month. Today, co-host Dayvid Figler and executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson sit down with lifelong local and radio DJ Heather Collins to get the inside scoop on the best way to spend your month. We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram . You can also call or text us at 7...
Feb 05, 2024•26 min
This week’s biggest news is probably CCSD Superintendent Jesus Jara’s resignation announcement , with one condition: Pay out his contract and he’ll go. But this doesn’t come without controversy. Today, executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson is joined by contributor Vogue Robinson and Nevada Current editor April Corbin Girnus to talk about the resignation and what comes next. Also, the team discusses a recent viral video from a Kamala Harris campaign event in Las Vegas this week that shows two wome...
Feb 02, 2024•32 min
Convention season is in full swing in Las Vegas. You might’ve heard of the really big ones like CES and the World of Concrete, but the newer Fancy Food Show is taking a bite out of the convention center crowd too. City Cast co-host and food writer Sarah Lohman worked there as an official trend spotter this month. She shares the craziest creations she saw at The Fancy Food Show, and what she predicts the biggest food trends of the year will be, with co-host Dayvid Figler. We’re on social media! F...
Feb 01, 2024•21 min
Have you ever driven past Coyote Springs, that never-built development 45 minutes into the desert? They’ve been tied up in legal battles over water for 20 years. And last week, the Nevada Supreme Court issued a ruling with major implications for Coyote Springs, but more importantly, for how our state uses water. Environmental reporter Daniel Rothberg just wrote about it for the Nevada Independent, and sits down with co-host Dayvid Figler to break it all down. It’s wonky, but Daniel makes it easy...
Jan 31, 2024•17 min
We are blessed in Las Vegas to be surrounded by diverse beautiful landscapes, but not everyone has a good time exploring our natural wonders. Executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson returns for round 2 of challenging co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler to guess which natural wonders received 1-star reviews. Play along and check out our episode about iconic Vegas attractions ! We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram . You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719 . Want some ...
Jan 30, 2024•20 min
For the thousands of Las Vegans who work in entertainment, while most of us are tucked into bed, midnight signals the end of the workday — and the start of playtime. So where do industry folks go after hours… and are late-night venues a dying breed? Co-host Dayvid Figler chats with Jacob Smith, podcast producer and head of audio for Absinthe. Jacob produces two excellent podcasts (and both their hosts have been on our show!) — make sure to check them out below: Matt & Mattingly’s Ice Cream S...
Jan 29, 2024•21 min
At the Oakland A’s “fireside chat” this Wednesday, owner John Fisher’s light-on-substance responses were overshadowed by a mortifying moment: When the emcee attempted to elicit cheers for “the Las Vegas A’s,” she was met with crickets . So what does this event tell us about the A’s efforts, and how successful their community inroads have been? Co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler sit down with Nevada Independent reporter Jacob Solis to hash it out. Then, they discuss Trump’s sole caucus chall...
Jan 26, 2024•30 min
Sure, we all fantasize about living on Mt. Charleston in summertime — but what’s life like for year-rounders, those intrepid few who decide to live there when snow drifts block roads and you have to (shudder) shovel the driveway? After this week’s massive snow dump on the mountain, we’re bringing back a conversation co-host Dayvid Figler had with year-rounder Jimmy Alderson, AKA “Mt. Charleston Mountain Man,” about what life is really like up there, and the survival skills you need to make it th...
Jan 25, 2024•20 min
The housing market in Las Vegas just saw its lowest year in sales since the crash in 2007. That may be confusing to some who are feeling the effects of our growing population and seeing new housing developments creep into the desert. It's hard to tell if it's the right time for a move or not, whether you are from out of state or a longtime Vegas resident. Professor Nicholas Irwin teaches real estate and economics at UNLV. He explains to co-host Dayvid Figler what to look out for in the everchang...
Jan 24, 2024•24 min
Las Vegans love to hate on many things (tourists, traffic, the entire month of July), but no tree has earned more of our ire than the iconic palm. It’s been decried as a water guzzler, a landscape destroyer, and an all-around, no-good tree that gives us zero shade in a hot, dry desert town. But … are we maybe thinking about this all wrong? Today, co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with tree expert and Nevada Plants founder Lisa Ortega, who makes the case for when and where palm trees might actually...
Jan 23, 2024•18 min
Live in Las Vegas long enough, and you’ll hear about the Green Door, our valley’s most famous (or infamous) sex club. But what really goes on inside? Co-host Sarah Lohman sits down with Gemini Stevens, a former kink educator, food podcast co-host, and all-around hedonist, for the 101 on how Vegas sex clubs work, the written and unwritten rules, and why they matter for our city. We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram . You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719 . Want some...
Jan 22, 2024•23 min
It’s been a good and bad week for transparency in Las Vegas so we are talking about which legislators got money from the Oakland A’s, the Clark County Education Association suing the school district over a “vile” tweet allegedly sent by Superintendent Jesus Jara, and what New Year resolutions the city should keep even though today, January 19th, is when most people give up . Executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson is joined by co-host Dayvid Figler and Nevada Current reporter Michael Lyle to dive i...
Jan 19, 2024•27 min
While Vegas media loves to highlight the latest food trends, hottest new restaurants, or the next big celebrity chef coming to town, one tried and true dining option gets overlooked in all the chatter: grocery stores. Even though we get most of our food in grocery stores, only a few consider sitting in and having a meal there. Surprisingly, Las Vegas has plenty of great local options so you can try getting your next meal before picking up a pint of milk. Writer and City Cast contributor Brent Ho...
Jan 18, 2024•21 min
Las Vegas’s long-awaited new state park finally opens this weekend to the public on January 20th. Ice Age Fossils State Park is a unique attraction that delves into the history of Las Vegas during the Ice Age through fossils and historic trails. Park supervisor Garrett Fehner joins co-host Dayvid Figler to explain what visitors will see, why you can’t take the fossils home, and how the site is important to the history of scientific discovery. We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on In...
Jan 17, 2024•21 min
Despite CES, the world’s largest in-person tech event, happening right here in Las Vegas, most locals haven’t ever been inside. It’s kind of a black box of mystery exclusive to the tech industry insiders and media who arrive in droves. Lucky for us, producer Layla Muhammad got a peek inside and sat down with co-host Sarah Lohman to talk about all about the coolest tech she saw and how it could affect Las Vegas. Yes, there are robots. No, she didn’t kick one. We’re on social media! Follow us @Cit...
Jan 16, 2024•22 min
Now that the tire dust has settled, Las Vegas is taking stock of F1’s impact — and some local businesses are asking the city to recoup the millions of dollars they lost. But would the city pay — and not F1? In today’s Friday news roundup, co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler sit down with contributor Andrew Kiraly, founder of TheList.Vegas , to talk about the winners, losers, and who pays when the races come to town. Next up, the crew discusses that giant Doritos ad on the Luxor, and if any b...
Jan 12, 2024•30 min
There’s a new trend sweeping Mexican cuisine, and you can find it right here in Las Vegas. Unlike the mass-produced grocery store tortillas you’ll find at most taco trucks and restaurants, tortillas made by nixtamalization are more pliable, fragrant, and nutritious. Today, we’re bringing back a conversation co-host Dayvid Figler had with Masazul chef Mariana Alvarado about she’s dedicating her life to bringing nixtamalized corn products to Las Vegas and where you can try them in our city. We’re ...
Jan 11, 2024•19 min
The Las Vegas Monorail is, at best, a side-eyed 90s relic for convention-goers; at worst, the butt of jokes and a symbol of our crushed public transit dreams. So how did it even get here, and what derailed our mono-future? Co-host Sarah Lohman talks with writer and monorail enthusiast Eric Duran-Valle about the system’s surprising Disney connection, the issues that plagued it, and why locals should still give the monorail a chance (spoiler: we tell you how to get $2 locals tickets on the cheap)....
Jan 10, 2024•23 min
Las Vegas headliner magicians like David Copperfield, Shin Lim, and Criss Angel have all become household names across the U.S. — and just in terms of the number of ticketed shows, Vegas is arguably the magic capital of the world. That’s according to comedian, magician, and podcaster Matt Donnelly, who sits down with co-host Dayvid Figler to talk about the hidden gems in the Vegas magic scene (have you followed the mysterious person in a rabbit mask?) and how our city is changing the magic world...
Jan 09, 2024•24 min
During one of their last meetings of 2023, city council members voted to purchase The Animal Foundation’s building to increase oversight of the non-profit . This comes after years of complaints over conditions at the overcrowded shelter from residents, animal advocates, and officials. Could this be the year The Animal Foundation turns around, or is the city priming the space for a takeover? Nevada Current reporter Dana Gentry has been covering the operational failures at The Animal Foundation fo...
Jan 08, 2024•23 min
The horrible attack on a judge in a Las Vegas courtroom has made headlines around the world — but have you seen the whole video ? It tells a slightly different story, and co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman sit down with contributor and Nevada Current editor April Corbin Girnus to talk about it. They also discuss the new ban on stopping on Strip pedestrian bridges, and the food trends that “ need to die ” in 2024, according to the Review-Journal’s food critic. We’re on social media! Follow u...
Jan 05, 2024•30 min
Now that the holiday season has passed, some people are looking for ways to help their minds and bodies recover from the festivities (and maybe even their wallets). One method people try to start their year off right is participating in "dry January". Taking a break from alcohol — or the vice of your choice — can be difficult in a party-forward city like Las Vegas. That’s why our co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman sit down to give you the surprising story behind dry January and how to get i...
Jan 04, 2024•22 min
2024 is here, so we’ve pooled our predictions (from most to least likely) of everything that maybe, kinda, possibly, could happen in Las Vegas this year — and we’re putting it on a Bingo card! Co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler compare notes with contributor Brent Holmes: Could A.I. take over the Sphere? Will F1 breach contract? Will the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup again? Make your very own personal 2024 Bingo card here and play along with us all year long — it’s free, you don’t have...
Jan 03, 2024•24 min
This January, whether you’re looking for new hobbies, new music, or a sense of renewed purpose, Andrew Kiraly from thelist.vegas has some ideas for you. He and co-host Sarah Lohman sit down to talk about the best events and things to do in Las Vegas this month (and spoiler alert: Andrew shares the deets on his favorite hiking trail in the Valley). 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...
Jan 02, 2024•25 min
We’re bringing back our biggest stories of 2023 this week, and nothing quite shook Las Vegas to its hospitality core like the advances in A.I. this year. Both Resorts World and the Cosmopolitan use AI chatbots to answer guest queries about where to go and what to do. The Sphere has an Android greeter, and there’s even a robot bouncer at a Vegas strip club. What’s more: Reports released in December 2023 suggest Las Vegas is the city MOST at risk in the U.S. for an A.I. takeover. But how will AI e...
Dec 29, 2023•23 min
Over the holidays, we’re sharing our favorite episodes on the hottest topics of 2023. And this year, a new food trend really took over our town. Lately, buffets seem to be shuttering left and right, and it seems like food halls are rising up to take their place: New food halls have popped up at Durango Station , the Cosmopolitan , downtown’s Fremont , and even off-Strip centers like the Uncommons . So why are food halls all the rage now, and is this the death knell of the iconic Vegas buffet? In...
Dec 28, 2023•22 min
This week we’re showcasing some of the best of City Cast over the past year. Today, we take another look at one of our most controversial episodes of 2023: debating the fairness over new Short Term Rental (STR) rules imposed by Clark County last spring. In this episode from April, co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with Jackie Flores and Louis Koorndyk, both STR operators and co-founders of the Greater Las Vegas STR Association. They say Clark County’s 2023 STRs rules are too restrictive and maybe ...
Dec 27, 2023•25 min
This holiday week, we’re revisiting our biggest stories of 2023. Already an icon on the Las Vegas skyline, the Sphere at The Venetian Resort opened on September 29, 2023 and instantly entered the international culture conversation. From the New Yorker and the Atlantic to SNL , people around the world are talking A LOT about the giant magical compendium of light and images. Whether you’re ready to shell out hundreds for a ticket inside the Sphere, the outside is also a marvel — so what’s the best...
Dec 26, 2023•20 min
On today’s Friday New Roundup, we’re bringing you the holiday gift of joy and chaos: All 5 members of the City Cast Las Vegas team join the convo today to look back on the year together. We discuss our picks for the most underrated news stories of 2023, describe our best meals out this year, and share some big news about some changes coming up for our team. 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 22, 2023•29 min
This was the year that the pandemic closures began to finally feel like a hazy memory, and the frisson of new restaurant openings once again got the PR newswires buzzing. Today, to help us cut through the noise, co-host Sarah Lohman sits down with food writers and podcasters John Curtas and Gemini Stevens. They’ve eaten basically everywhere across Vegas, and share their top picks for the best new restaurants that opened in 2023. You can follow Gemini on social media — she’s @wishboneandvine on T...
Dec 21, 2023•23 min
