The Jeff Does Vegas Podcast

I absolutely LOVE discovering new Vegas content creators and then sharing them with you.  Whether it's a new vlogger, blogger, or - as in the case of this episode - a fellow podcaster.

Joining me this time around is Brian Ortega, host & creator of the Concierge Confidential podcast.  Every episode, Brian gives his listeners an inside look at the world of Las Vegas and the people who work in it.  Brian explores every aspect of the Vegas lifestyle from hotels to restaurants to nightlife and he even shares some awesome tips & tricks for Las Vegas visitors.

Brian & I talked about his time working as a concierge at a major Las Vegas resort, what inspired him to launch the podcast, and he stepped back into his concierge role to share some of his favorite restaurants, shows and more!

Listen to Concierge Confidential on Apple Podcasts & Spotify.  And be sure to follow Brian on X (formerly known as Twitter).

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

We're roughly a month away from Formula 1 hitting the Vegas strip, and to say it's a "controversial topic" would be a massive understatement.

On one side, you've got the proponents who love it; they say it will bring global attention to the city, shine the spotlight on Vegas as a world-class sporting city, and be a HUGE economic benefit for the city with an estimated $1.2 billion impact.

Then, on the other side, you've got the people who absolutely HATE the event; they're tired of traffic tie-ups & construction chaos, they're disgusted with F1's greed, and they're tired of disruptions on the strip with track preparation - including blocking off the Bellagio Fountains & closing the Mirage Volcano.

Joining me for his second appearance is Todd McCandless, host of The Parc Fermé Podcast, an awesome F1 podcast.  As we get closer to "lights out", I thought it might be fun to have Todd back for another chat about the Las Vegas Grand Prix.  Todd was here about a year and a half ago after the race was officially announced, but with things fully in motion and race weekend quickly approaching, I figured it was time for an update.

Todd and I also talked about the current F1 season, Max Verstappen & Red Bull Racing's dominance & the effect that was having on viewership, and whether or not the addition of another American-based team would re-spark U.S. interest in Formula 1.

For all the latest on Formula 1, visit The Parc Fermé website and make sure to listen to The Parc Fermé Podcast.  Also be sure to follow The Parc Fermé on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Joining me for this episode of the podcast is one of my favorite Las Vegas content creators, Sergio Portesan, the brains behind Viva Las Value, a website/blog all about how to do Vegas like high roller on a low roller's budget.

Last time I had Sergio on the show was a little over 3 years ago, shortly after Vegas had reopened following the big COVID-19 shutdown.  I was unable to go to Vegas due to various travel restrictions in place so I asked him to do a "Trip Report By Proxy" to talk about his Vegas experience.

It's now been almost 6 months since my last trip to the city, but Sergio just wrapped up a visit in the last few weeks, so I thought it might be fun to have him back to do it again.

Sergio shared his hotel experience staying both on the strip and downtown, we talked about what It's like attending a bachelor party with a bunch of Vegas virgins, and we discussed some of the same "challenges" Sergio ran into on this trip that others also seem to be dealing with on their own Vegas trips.

We also got a little serious during our conversation, as Sergio shared the epiphany he had during this trip and the blog post he wrote that's garnered a lot of attention.

Be sure to check out Viva Las Value for all the Vegas tips & tricks you could ever need and follow Sergio on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

My guest for this episode of the podcast wears A LOT of different hats...

Dayvid Figler is a performer, musician, author, podcast host...and he's a long-time trial lawyer with several notable clients & cases in his portfolio.

Dayvid was kind enough to join me for a chat where we discussed his experiences growing up in the shadow of the Vegas Strip (literally), running away to college at the age of 16 and writing the Nevada Bar exam at 23, his role in overturning a lap dance ban in Clark County, what it's like hanging out with Flava Flav (yes...THAT Flava Flav), and his part in City Cast Las Vegas, a daily podcast that shares all the Vegas news & information you could ever need or want.

Follow Dayvid on X (formerly Twitter), visit the City Cast Las Vegas website for all your Vegas information & news, follow City Cast Las Vegas on X (formerly Twitter) & Facebook, and listen to City Cast Las Vegas on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere else you listen to podcasts.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

It's been almost three decades since the world lost one of the most influential rap & hip-hop artists of all time...the legendary Tupac Shakur.

On the night of September 7, 1996, Tupac was shot while sitting at a car at a stoplight at the corner of Flamingo Road & Koval Lane, just east of the Vegas Strip.  He died 6 days later at University Medical Center.

The case has remained unsolved for the past 27 years and the circumstances surrounding the murder have been shrouded with uncertainty & speculation with multiple theories floating around on who killed Tupac.

Joining me for this episode of the podcast to shed some light on the crime & peel away a few layers of the mystery is true crime author & journalist, Cathy Scott.

Cathy is the author of The Killing of Tupac Shakur: Who Did It and Why? which is considered to be one of the best books ever written on the subject of Tupac's murder.  At the time of the shooting, Cathy was working as a reporter for the Las Vegas Sun and she was one of the first people in the world to report Tupac's death.

Cathy & I took a deep dive into the case covering everything from the timeline of events the night of the shooting, to the bungled police investigation, to recent developments in the story.

Order your copy of "The Killing of Tupac Shakur" by Cathy Scott from your favorite online book seller.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

It's not very often that you get the chance to talk with someone who's collaborated with & performed for the likes of Sting, Jerry Lewis, Ice T, Fergie, and Jeff Goldblum so when that opportunity comes up, you take it!

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Las Vegas entertainer, Melody Sweets!

You may recognize Melody from her time as "the Green Fairy" in Spiegelworld's Absinthe (a role she originated & performed for over 6 years), one her production show at the Roman Plaza at Caesars Palace, or you might have seen her photos in one of the dozens of places they've appeared (including Las Vegas Magazine, the New York Times, and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition).

Melody jumped on the show to have a conversation about her latest project, a new web series called Sweets' Spot featuring "Baking, Boobies...and One Evil Donut".

We talked about Melody's life pre-Vegas and what brought her to the city, the evolution of Sweets' Spot from a live show in NYC to the video series it now, the future of the series, and much more!

Watch all 6 episodes of Season 1 of Sweets' Spot online now at sweetsspottv.com, learn more about Melody - including her music & live appearances - on her official website, and be sure to follow her on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram!

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Undoubtedly, one of the most colorful characters in the history of Las Vegas is Oscar Goodman.

Oscar has been a part of the Vegas scene since the mid-60's when he moved to town to practice law and ended up with some of the most notorious organized crime figures on his client list including Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal & Tony "The Ant" Spilotro.  Following his time as a defense attorney, he successfully ran for mayor, going on to serve three terms.  He had a cameo - as himself - in the film, "Casino" starring Robert DeNiro & Joe Pesci.  And, he even contemplated a run for Governor of Nevada.

Now, in his mid-80's, he's the subject of a new podcast series.

Season 3 of Mobbed Up - The Fight For Las Vegas focuses on the life & times of Oscar Goodman.

Joining for for this episode, and making his second appearance on the podcast is John Katsilometes, columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal who's also serving as host for this season of Mobbed Up.

John & I discussed what went into creating this season of Mobbed Up, how he convinced Oscar to be a part of the podcast, and how many hours he spent sitting with Oscar collecting his stories.

Season 3 of Mobbed Up - The Fight For Las Vegas is available September 14th, 2023 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere else you listen to podcasts.

Be sure to follow John Katsilometes on X & Instagram and check out his column, Kats, at the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

I'm going to be totally honest with you...this episode of the podcast is very likely to upset a lot of people.  But everything being said here NEEDS to be said.

After my last trip to Vegas, I released the "NOT The May Trip Report" episode, in which I brought up several things that I didn't enjoy about the city and, in turn, my vacation.  I got a lot of a lot of feedback about that particular episode - some agreeing with me and some STRONGLY disagreeing with me.

I began to think that I was crazy...maybe it was just me.  Then, I started to see a lot of the same comments & complaints being made by people posting on Vegas-related social media channels and by several other Vegas content creators - including bloggers, vloggers and podcasters.

Then, it happened...

Sam Novak, the creator of Vegas Unfiltered (who's appeared on the show before) wrote an article for Vegas 411 titled, "This Is The Worst Time In History To Visit Vegas".

I asked Sam to join me for a conversation about the article as well as the current state of affairs in Las Vegas.  As expected, he was BRUTALLY honest about what's happening in the city.

We talked about construction chaos, skyrocketing costs, the overall state of the strip, and much more.  Plus, I asked the big question: What will it take to FIX things in Las Vegas?

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

If you dig into the history of Las Vegas, you're going to find a lot of stories about crime.  A majority of these stories involve the mob, organized crime, and their involvement in the casino industry & other illegal activities.

But if you go deep enough down the rabbit hole, you'll discover that every once in awhile, things in Las Vegas go "BOOM"...and that's what this episode of the podcast is all about.

I'm pleased to welcome back Meagan & Anthony Smith, the creators of Mayhem In The Desert, a true crime blog that shares the darker side of the history of Sin City.  On the site, they take deep dives into the famous - and infamous - crimes that have happened in Las Vegas, stretching back across the decades.

One of the subjects on their site that caught my eye was the history of bombings in Las Vegas, and I thought I'd invite Meagan & Anthony back to share these stories.  Some of them might be familiar to you...and others?  Not so much.

Be sure to visit Mayhem In The Desert online and make sure you follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  Also, check out & subscribe to the Mayhem In The Desert YouTube Channel.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

This time on Vegas Book Club, we're going ALLLLL the way back to Episode #25 of the podcast and my conversation with Steve Cyr, the subject of the book Whale Hunt In The Desert by Deke Castleman.

Steve is a Casino Host in Las Vegas - but he's not just any host.  Steve is one of the elite hosts who deal almost exclusively with "whales".

What is a "whale", you ask?  "Whales" are the extreme high-roller VIP's who come to Vegas and spend MASSIVE amounts of money; it's not uncommon for a "whale" to drop $1 Million or more over the course of a weekend in the city.  In order to bring them - and their huge bank accounts - to Las Vegas, casino hosts hook them up with lavish comps...from high-end suites & villas, to private jets, to ringside tickets at UFC events, to pretty much anything you can imagine.

Steve is one of the guys who makes that happen.

We talked about his early days in the casino business, how he re-invented the way hosting was being done in Las Vegas, and some of the more "bizarre" requests he's gotten from his clients.

Order your copy of Whale Hunt In The Desert: Secrets Of A Vegas Superhost by Deke Castleman from your favorite online bookseller.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

On this instalment of Vegas Book Club, we're taking a trip back to   and my chat with Dennis Blair, author of the book, Touring With Legends.

A Las Vegas-based comedian & musician, Dennis's career has spanned almost 40 years and over that time, he's worked with some of the biggest names in comedy and music.  He co-wrote a feature film, he's worked on numerous TV specials, and he's appeared on the Tonight Show several times.

Dennis and I talked about what got him into comedy, his early days working with the legendary Rodney Dangerfield & what led to their falling-out, his time on the road with the incomparable Joan Rivers, and what it was like spending 18 years as the opening act for the late great George Carlin.

Order your copy of Touring with Legends by Dennis Blair from your favorite online bookseller now!

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

This time around on Vegas Book Club, we're heading back to Episode #78 of the podcast and my conversation with David G. Schwartz, UNLV Professor, Las Vegas Historian, and author of the book At The Sands.

December 15, 1952 saw the opening of one of the most iconic hotels in the history of Las Vegas - The Sands Hotel & Casino.

During its heyday, it hosted some of the biggest names in entertainment, most notably the legendary Rat Pack featuring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.  And although that might be what The Sands is best known for, there's way more to story than that.

David and I talked about what inspired him to cover the history of The Sands, how "mobbed up" the hotel was, Frank Sinatra's involvement the ownership of the property, and what led to the eventual downfall of The Sands (both figuratively and literally).

Get your copy of At The Sands by David G. Schwartz from your favorite online bookseller.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

For this episode of Vegas Book Club, we're taking a trip back to Episode #116 of the podcast and my chat with Eric Sherwood, aka "Annoyed Pit Boss" on Twitter, and author of the book Dealt: Stories From My Life On The Felt.

Eric entered the gaming industry following what I like to call a "forced career change", first as a dealer and eventually moving up to the position of pit boss.  As he got further into the crazy world of the casino business, he realized the stories from his day-to-day life were too good to NOT share.

First came the Twitter account, then came the book.

Eric & I talked about his entry into the gaming industry, what inspired him to create his Twitter account & write his book, and he even shared some tips & tricks for novice players thinking of hitting the tables on their next Vegas trip.

Dealt: Stories From My Life On The Felt is available from your favorite online bookseller.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

For this instalment of Vegas Book Club, we're heading back to Episode #42 of the podcast and my conversation with Richard Zoglin, the author of Elvis In Vegas: How The King Reinvented The Las Vegas Show.

July 31, 1969 was a day that changed Las Vegas forever; on that date, the King of Rock N' Roll stepped on stage at the newly-opened International Hotel to kick off what would eventually turn into one of the biggest Las Vegas residencies of all time.

Richard and I took a deep dive into Elvis's first appearance in Vegas back in 1956, the unlikely friendships he made during his time in Las Vegas, the toll his Vegas residency took on his health, and the overall impact Elvis made on Las Vegas.

Elvis In Vegas: How The King Reinvented The Las Vegas Show is available from your favorite online book seller.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

I make no secret about the fact that I absolutely LOVE food.

In fact, as anyone who listens to the podcast on a regular basis knows, when I put together my "Trip Report" episodes, I always mention that that being able to tell people about the meals I've enjoyed in Las Vegas is probably my favorite part of the trip.

So, when I was presented with the opportunity to chat with a Las Vegas-based chef who took her passion for cooking and turned it into a career, I jumped at that chance.

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Chef Alicia Shevetone.  Chef Alicia is a pop-up chef who regularly hosts events across the city, she's authored cookbooks, she makes appearances on local Vegas television, and she hosts her own online cooking show.  She's also the creator of Dink Cuisine, a unique cooking concept for a very specific demographic.

Learn all about Chef Alicia, find out about Dink Cuisine, see where she'll be appearing and get your hands on her cookbooks by visiting Chef Alicia's website.  Also, make sure follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Pre-order your copy of Chef Alicia's new cookbook, "Food With Spirit: Alcohol Infused Recipes" on Amazon. 

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

I've had a few listeners reach out and ask me about doing an episode covering the topic of casino comps, tier statuses & loyalty programs, so I thought it was about time I actually got to it.  And, even though I'm a member of several different Vegas casino loyalty programs, I really have no idea how they work.

So, I'm turning to an expert to help me out!

Shawn Coomer is the founder & editor-in-chief of Miles To Memories, a website dedicated to sharing the best tips & tricks when it comes to maximizing the benefits of travel reward & loyalty programs - including casino loyalty programs.  Shawn is also a Las Vegas native and host of the Miles To Memories Vegas Podcast and Miles To Memories Vegas YouTube Channel.

Visit Miles To Memories for the latest news from the world of travel reward & loyalty programs and be sure to follow Miles To Memories on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

I always LOVE having other Vegas fanatics on the podcast to chat about the latest happenings in "Sin City".  Back in Spring of 2021, I was joined on the show by Adam Bauer aka "Travel Fanboy" to talk about some of the big changes coming to Las Vegas.  We discussed the sale of the Cosmopolitan to MGM, the sale of the Mirage to Hard Rock, and the impending re-branding of Bally's to Horseshoe.

A year has passed and all of those changes are either complete or well underway, so I decided to reconnect with Adam so we could share our thoughts on those projects as well as some of the upcoming openings and big events coming to the Vegas Strip.

Check out the official Travel Fanboy website for lots of great travel tips & tricks, as well as Adam's latest venture, Cheapskate Vegas, where you can learn to live like a high-roller on a low-roller budget.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Did you know that approximately 2% of the world's population uses a wheelchair AND that nearly 20% of people have a disability that limits one or more activities of daily living?

If you applied that math to Las Vegas, that means that roughly 840,000 wheelchair users and almost 8.5 million people with different levels of accessibility requirements travel to Vegas every single year.

In the various Vegas-related Facebook groups I'm a part of, I often see questions from people who are apprehensive about visiting the city due to the perception that Vegas isn't very wheelchair friendly.

I wanted to break that perception...so I've called in an expert on the subject of wheelchair travel.

John Morris is the founder & creator of WheelchairTravel.org, a website & blog where he shares his own experiences of travelling as a wheelchair user.  And, like me, John is also a frequent Vegas visitor.

If you want to learn more about John & get all the info you need when it comes to travelling to Las Vegas with a disability, visit WheelchairTravel.org and be sure to follow John on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

In mid-December 2022, I was offered the opportunity to talk with the one and only Chris Hansen, formerly of Dateline NBC and perhaps best known for the famous To Catch A Predator series of investigative reports.

If you're not familiar with To Catch A Predator, allow me to explain:

A group of decoys playing the part of underage teen boys & girls enter online chatrooms and wait for adults to engage them in sexually explicit conversations.  A meeting is set up, the predator comes to a house to meet who he believes is the minor he's been chatting with but instead he's greeted by Chris Hansen and local law enforcement.

But what does this have to do with Las Vegas?

As it turned out, Chris Hansen WAS headed to Vegas for a run of live shows at the Southpoint Hotel & Casino in early February (which unfortunately were cancelled, with plans to reschedule) where he'd be talking about To Catch A Predator, his latest predator investigations, sharing behind the scenes & never-before-seen footage, and hosting an interactive Q&A session with the audience.

You can watch Chris's latest predator investigations streaming online at WatchTruBlu.com and be sure to follow Chris on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

As 2022 comes to an end, I've decided to take you all on a little trip back in time to re-visit some of my favorite conversations from the last 12 months of the podcast.

This time on 2022 In Review, I'm jumping into the archives and re-sharing conversations with some of the excellent content creators I've had the pleasure of speaking with over the last year including authors, vloggers, bloggers & podcasters.

It was awesome getting them on the podcast to talk about Las Vegas and share their fantastic work with you!

If you want to check out their full episodes, here they are (in order of appearance):

• EP#105: Going Through Changes
• EP#127: Responsible Travel
• EP#112: LIGHTS OUT! F1 On The Vegas Strip
• EP#116: The Annoyed Pit Boss
• EP#130: The Vegas Confessions Podcast

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

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Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

When you really want to know what's going on in the Las Vegas entertainment scene, there's only one guy you need to turn to...and he's my guest for this episode of the podcast!

John Katsilometes is the writer of "Kats!", a daily column in the Las Vegas Review-Journal that covers everything & anything to do with entertainment in Vegas, both on and off the Vegas Strip.

John was kind enough to join me to chat about his beginnings in the world of journalism, how me moved from writing about sports to writing about entertainment, some of the big stories he's broken during his career, and much more!

Check out "Kats!" on the Las Vegas Review-Journal's website, follow John on Twitter & Instagram for all the latest happenings in Vegas, and check out his podcast, "Podkats!"

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Back a few weeks ago, I decided it might be fun to step outside of my comfort zone and host an official Jeff Does Vegas Ask Me Anything session.

I put it out to you, the amazing listeners of this podcast, to ask me questions about anything you wanted to know - whether it was about Las Vegas, podcasting, my radio career, my personal life...literally ANYTHING.

And you guys didn't disappoint!  You asked some really great questions - both in advance and during the session - and it was a blast to engage with everyone and answer them.

I hosted the original live stream on October 21, 2022 and, as promised, I'm now releasing it as a podcast episode.  I've cleaned it up and done a bit of editing but, for the most part, it's presented here exactly as it happened.

If you'd like to check out the original video version of the Jeff Does Vegas Ask Me Anything live stream, you can find on the Jeff Does Vegas YouTube Channel.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

I love having fellow Vegas content creators on the podcast and I've been fortunate to talk to several.  From bloggers to YouTubers to podcasters, I love learning about what got them interested in the city and what contributes to their drive to share their passion - and my guest for this episode is easily one of the most passionate Vegas podcasters I've ever chatted with.

Julian Romero is the host of the Vegas Confessions Podcast, which I can honestly say is one of the best Las Vegas podcasts available.

Julian and I talked about what initially got him into podcasting, what he loves about being a Vegas podcaster, how he's managed to turn a passion project into a full-time job, and much more!

You can follow Julian and the Vegas Confessions Podcast on Twitter and Facebook and be sure to search out the Vegas Confessions Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Also, before your next Las Vegas vacation, be sure to download the Vegas Near Me app so you can search out your favorite hotels, casinos, restaurants, attractions, shows and more!

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Over the last several years, there's been a push in the travel industry for people to practice what's called "Responsible Travel".  This is travel that's all about making choices to minimize the negative impacts of your travel in favor of ones that are neutral or contribute positively.

My guests for this episode are Erin Hynes & Kattie Laur, the hosts of Alpaca My Bags, a Canadian podcast that explores Responsible Travel.

During our conversation Erin shared what got her interested in travel & what inspired her to start blogging and podcasting as well as how she connected with Kattie & brought her into the fold, the ladies shared their experiences of their own Las Vegas vacations, and we discussed how to apply the principals of Responsible Travel to when visiting a city like Las Vegas - known best for total irresponsibility.

You can learn more about Responsible Travel by visiting Erin's website/blog as well as by following her on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.  You can also follow Kattie on Twitter and visit her website as well.  And be sure to listen to Alpaca My Bags wherever you get your podcasts.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Las Vegas - or more specifically, Lake Mead, located just outside Las Vegas - has found itself in the spotlight as of late & is attracting the attention of two very different groups of people:

Mob Historians and Climate Scientists

Lake Mead is known as a water playground for both tourists & locals, but it's also one the United States' largest reservoirs providing water for over 20 million people across 3 states.  However, due to drought and increased water demand, the lake's water levels have dropped drastically over the last several years, which has led to some bizarre and horrifying discoveries.

Returning for this bonus episode of the podcast to discuss recent events at Lake Mead is Anthony Smith, one half of the creative force behind Mayhem In The Desert, a Las Vegas True Crime blog that takes a deep dive into some of the stories that helped shape Las Vegas's history.

If you want to learn more about Vegas's true crime past and the darker side of Sin City, be sure to visit Mayhem In The Desert.  Also, be sure to follow Mayhem In The Desert on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!