City Cast Las Vegas

City Cast Las Vegas

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

August 8, 2025 38 mins
Tesla Tunnels are back in the news: This time, as Dana Gentry reports in the Nevada Current, it’s because the Boring Co. is pushing a proposal to let its vehicles exit the tunnels and use surface streets (yes, the tunnels were originally proposed as a solve to street traffic). So what’s really going on? Co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman tackle this topic with Jacob Solis of Battle Born Progress, as well as ICE’s threat to arr...
Mark as Played
How well do you know Vegas barbecue? While summer barbecue season is in full swing, few of us actually want to tend a smoker in the sweltering heat, so we're bringing back a conversation with pitmaster Christie Vanover, founder of Girls Can Grill. She tells co-host Sarah Lohman where to order the best BBQ in town and what she looks for in championship-worthy 'cue. Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or ema...
Mark as Played
As Formula One continues to stake its claim in Las Vegas, questions remain about its long-term impact on the local community. Co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with Austin Brown, Vice President of Marketing for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, to explore how F1 is working to become more than just a high-octane spectacle on the Strip. Brown discusses the new 39-acre Grand Prix Plaza, featuring go-karting, simulators, and immersive experience...
Mark as Played
August 5, 2025 25 mins
Stateline-straddling Primm is on its last legs: Whiskey Pete's closed in December, Buffalo Bill's just closed last month, and the outlet mall has just one store left. But what was Primm like in its heyday, and why is everything closing there now? Co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler are joined by Hey Las Vegas editor Rob Kachelriess to discuss Primm's past and present, and if the proposed new airport and high-speed rail could ch...
Mark as Played
August 4, 2025 26 mins
The Vegas showgirl revues of the midcentury were known for nips-out nudity, Crazy Horse at the Riviera brought the tagline "No ifs, ands, or butts" to billboards around town, and as late as the early aughts, Peep Show did away with pasties to revive ticket sales. But lately, it seems like Vegas has been covering up. Sarah Lohman talks with her co-host Dayvid Figler, a lifelong Las Vegan and attorney, and burlesque performer Dirty M...
Mark as Played
ProPublica just released an eyebrow-raising investigation: earlier this month, at a conference in Las Vegas purporting to share the secrets to living longer, two women received peptide injections that sent them to the hospital, fighting for their lives. What regulatory oversights allowed this to happen? Co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler, along with executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson, discuss the near-deadly episode, as well...
Mark as Played
Las Vegas is making the most of an unusually mild summer, offering a packed calendar of events and experiences tailored to locals. Co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman are joined by Melinda Sheckells, editor of The Town Magazine, to break down what’s worth your time this August, from creative local birthday gift ideas and volunteer opportunities to stand-out experiences and the latest pop culture trend in Las Vegas. Together, th...
Mark as Played
After an abrupt closure in June that left vendors scrambling to make up for lost income, Broadacres, the massive swap meet and hub of Hispanic life in North Las Vegas, has announced its official reopening on August 1st. But what does this mean — and will it ever be the same again? Co-host Dayvid Figler talks with artist Justin Favela and Nevada Current reporter Jeniffer Solis, both born and raised Las Vegans who grew up going to Br...
Mark as Played
Elvis Presley would’ve turned 90 this year, and Las Vegas is celebrating by recreating his legendary 1969 residency at the Westgate (formerly the International Hotel). Co-host Sarah Lohman talks with Elvis’s brother, David Stanley, about growing up at Graceland, touring during the Vegas years, and why the city still worships the King. Plus, how accurate are the iconic Vegas Elvis impersonators? Want to get in touch? Follow us @Cit...
Mark as Played
Las Vegans love to complain about the heat (duh), the traffic, and … Californians. Californians moving to Vegas have nearly twice the income of Nevadans moving within the state — with locals bearing the brunt of our affordable housing crisis, it's easy to feel resentful. But should we? Co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman, along with Nevada Current journalist Michael MJ Lyle and poet Vogue Robinson have a lively conversation abo...
Mark as Played
Thanks to a new state law, some of you across the valley might start hearing construction noises as early as 5 a.m. this summer — it's part of an effort to help construction workers avoid the brutal heat. But how will this impact noise pollution? Co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman are joined by Nevada Current deputy editor April Corbin Girnus to tackle this and the rest of the week's news: Why the DOJ is demanding Nevada's vot...
Mark as Played
With immigration enforcement intensifying nationwide and the Trump administration’s proposed “Big Beautiful Bill” aiming to funnel billions more into ICE operations, Las Vegas finds itself uniquely impacted. In a city where one in five residents is an immigrant, the stakes are high and the impact is personal. Co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with Professor Michael Kagan, director of UNLV’s Immigration Clinic, to unpack what heighten...
Mark as Played
The Trump administration's omnibus budget bill was signed into law earlier this month — but the Dems aren't going down easy. Senator Jacky Rosen joins co-host Dayvid Figler to talk about how the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" will impact Las Vegans, what she's doing about it, and what we can all do to help each other weather its impacts. (Spoiler: The Senator has some spicy takes on the backers of this bill!) Learn more about the ...
Mark as Played
July 22, 2025 25 mins
After nearly two decades, Town Square is shaking off the dust with a wave of new restaurants, even as longtime local favorites like Blue Martini and Stoney’s pack up and move on. So what’s really going on at the popular shopping center just south of the Strip? Has it quietly become more of a tourist stop than a local hangout? We revisit a conversation with Hey Las Vegas newsletter editor Rob Kachelriess and co-host Dayvid Figler as...
Mark as Played
The tally is in: Governor Lombardo has officially broken the veto record again — striking down the most bills out of any executive in Nevada state history. Vetoes are a check on the legislative branch, but at this extreme, do we need a check on the check? What does Lombardo get out of all those vetoes, and what happens with all this killed legislation now? Co-host Dayvid Figler talks with Battle Born Progress press secretary Jacob ...
Mark as Played
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...
Mark as Played
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, an...
Mark as Played
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 t...
Mark as Played
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 device...
Mark as Played
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 w...
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.

    On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

    24/7 News: The Latest

    The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

    The Bobby Bones Show

    Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.