After a year-and-a-half away from the studio, I'm jumping back behind the mic for a special, one-off bonus episode of Jeff Does Vegas!

 

If you’ve walked the Strip lately, you may have noticed a glaring lack of Canadian tourists. For decades, Canada has been Las Vegas's most reliable international ally, but over the last year, that pipeline has frozen almost completely solid.

 

Let’s get one thing straight right off the top: I am not jumping on the clickbait "Vegas is dead" bandwagon. Vegas isn't dead. But the numbers don't lie, and the city is suffering a very real "death by a thousand cuts."

 

Armed with hard data from the LVCVA, Harry Reid International Airport, Stats Canada, and international travel reports, I'm bringing the receipts to explain exactly why visitorship has plummeted. I'm busting the myth that Canadians are staying home just because of a weak dollar, and digging into the real reasons for the massive drop - from the fallout of unprecedented U.S. political rhetoric and border tariffs, to out-of-control Strip pricing, to insane nickel-and-diming of tourists, and the devastating reality of the "stealth layoffs" hitting the everyday hospitality workers who keep the city running.

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Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

Las Vegas bills itself as "the Entertainment Capital of the World" and it's easy to see why with all the big names performing up & down the Strip on a nightly basis...and it's been that way for decades. But how did that all come to be...and what role did the world of organized crime play in making it happen?

My guest for this episode of the podcast is here to help clear things up for us.

Making her second appearance on the podcast is Claire White, the Director of Education for the Mob Museum in Downtown Las Vegas. Last time Claire was on the show, we went in-depth on Liberace & the impact he had on the Vegas entertainment scene. We briefly touched on the topic of the mob and their place in Las Vegas's entertainment history, but I thought it might be fun to get Claire back to go into a little more detail.

We discussed the early days of Las Vegas entertainment, the Mob's role in helping to build up the industry in Las Vegas, and some of the prominent performers with alleged mob ties.

If you want to learn more about the history of Las Vegas & the role of the mob in establishing the entertainment industry, pick up a copy of Bright Light City: Las Vegas in Popular Culture by Larry Gragg. And be sure to pay a visit to the Mob Museum on your next trip to Las Vegas.  Visit their website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube!

 

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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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

I've talked about a lot of Las Vegas history on this podcast and I absolutely love doing it. And, based on the reaction to the various Vegas history episodes I've released, it's pretty clear that you do too.

This time around, I'm covering a part of Las Vegas history that doesn't get the attention it deserves and if I'm being honest, it's a part of Las Vegas history that I really had no idea existed - and as someone who considers themselves a bit of a Vegas fanatic, I'm a little embarrassed by that fact.

Joining me on this episode is Claytee White, the Director of the Oral History Research Center at the University of Nevada - Las Vegas. I asked Ms. White to come on the podcast to have a conversation about Black History and the African American Community in Las Vegas after hearing her appearance on the podcast, "Spectacle - Las Vegas".

Ms. White shared her story of what brought her Las Vegas and got her interested in Black History, we discussed the situation in Las Vegas leading up to the founding of the Moulin Rouge, and what led to the integration of Las Vegas Strip.

If you'd like to learn more about Black History, the African American Community in Las Vegas, and the Moulin Rouge, visit Documenting the African American Experience in Las Vegas, a project of the UNLV University Libraries. You can also check out the books, The Moulin Rouge and Black Rights in Las Vegas by Earnest N. Bracey and Storming Caesars Palace by Annelise Orleck.

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

In 1991, Warren Beatty jumped onto the big screen to portray one the most feared and most famous mobsters of all time...Bugsy.

The film, directed by Barry Levinson and co-starring Annette Bening (as Bugsy's longtime girlfriend, Virginia Hill) tells the story of Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel and his role in the creation of The Flamingo and the building of Las Vegas as an "oasis in the desert".

Bugsy was minor hit, grossing just over $49 Million at the box office, receiving high praise from critics, and garnering several Academy Award & Golden Globe nominations including a Golden Globe win for "Best Picture - Drama". But despite all these accolades, just how historically accurate was the film?

My guest for this episode of the podcast is here to tell us.

Making his FOURTH appearance on the podcast is Geoff Schumacher, the Vice President of Exhibits and Programs at the Mob Museum in Las Vegas. Geoff was kind enough to join me once again to help separate fact from fiction when it comes to the story of Bugsy Siegel.

Did Bugsy actually try to get into acting during his time in Hollywood? Who actually came up with the idea for The Flamingo? And was opening night at the casino really a total flop?

If you want to learn more about Bugsy & his associates and their place in Las Vegas history, plan a visit to the Mob Museum on your next Vegas vacation. You can also follow the Mob Museum on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

Picture it...it's the late 1970's. You're a singer-songwriter working the bar scene in New York City. One night, after having enough of dealing with crowds that don't pay attention to you, you decide to mess around with the lyrics of a popular song and perform that on stage...and you manage to turn that into a career spanning almost 40 years.

That's exactly what Dennis Blair did.

Dennis is a Las Vegas-based comedian & musician who, over the course of the last 4 decades, has had the opportunity to work with some of the biggest names in comedy & music. He co-wrote a feature film, he's worked on TV specials, he's appeared on The Tonight Show and he recently released a book chronicling his time on the road as an opening act.

Dennis and I chatted about what got him into comedy, the early days of working with Rodney Dangerfield & what led to their falling out, life on the road with Joan Rivers, and what it was like spending 18 years as the opening act for George Carlin.

Visit Dennis's website to find out where you can catch him performing in Vegas, pick up a copy of his book, "Touring With Legends" from your favorite online bookseller, and check out his music on Apple Music & Spotify.

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This podcast episode was originally released as part of the Sin City Stories: Vegas True Crime series

Nevada offers the same lax residency requirements to obtain divorce today as it did nearly 100 years ago; a person only has to live in the state for six weeks before being eligible to for a divorce.

But not too long after Nevada gained a reputation as the place to go for a quickie divorce, Las Vegas was the scene of a brutal public murder on the steps of a law office in a tale involving domestic violence, the death of a child, and a desperate insanity plea to avoid the gas chamber.

To learn more about other true crime tales from the darker side of Las Vegas history, visit Mayhem In The Desert.

 

Follow Sin City Stories: Vegas True Crime on Facebook & Instagram

 

Follow Mayhem In The Desert on X (formerly Twitter) & Facebook

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This podcast episode was originally released as part of the Sin City Stories: Vegas True Crime series

In the 1970's Las Vegas was the site of bombings & murders...but not ALL of this mayhem was linked to the mafia.

In the fall of 1975, a labor dispute between the Culinary Union and several off-strip restaurants escalated into violence. This ultimately resulted in the head of the Culinary Union, Al Bramlet, learning a very valuable lesson:

No matter what, ALWAYS pay your hitman.

To learn more about other true crime tales from the darker side of Las Vegas history, visit Mayhem In The Desert.

 

Follow Sin City Stories: Vegas True Crime on Facebook & Instagram

 

Follow Mayhem In The Desert on X (formerly Twitter) & Facebook

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This podcast episode was originally released as part of the Sin City Stories: Vegas True Crime series

Thousands of bombs have gone off across the United States over the course of the 20th & 21st centuries for every reason…from the personal, to the political, to the financial.

 

And through its short history, the city of Las Vegas has not been spared from the threat of criminal bombings.

To learn more about other true crime tales from the darker side of Las Vegas history, visit Mayhem In The Desert.

 

Follow Sin City Stories: Vegas True Crime on Facebook & Instagram

 

Follow Mayhem In The Desert on X (formerly Twitter) & Facebook

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This podcast episode was originally released as part of the Sin City Stories: Vegas True Crime series

Las Vegas teenager Kim Bryant went missing from in front of her high school on a winter's day in 1979.

Her abduction & murder would scar the Vegas community and remain unsolved for decades. But just as the case seemed to be going cold, new suspects in the disappearance would emerge - including a vicious serial killer known as "The Chameleon".

To learn more about other true crime tales from the darker side of Las Vegas history, visit Mayhem In The Desert.

 

Follow Sin City Stories: Vegas True Crime on Facebook & Instagram

 

Follow Mayhem In The Desert on X (formerly Twitter) & Facebook

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This podcast episode was originally released as part of the Sin City Stories: Vegas True Crime series

The 1979 daylight abduction of a teenager from a parking lot nearby her Las Vegas High School absolutely stunned the local community.

It was only a few weeks before the body of Kim Bryant was discovered in the desert surrounding the city, but it would be decades before police would finally be able to figure out who was responsible for her tragic death.

To learn more about other true crime tales from the darker side of Las Vegas history, visit Mayhem In The Desert.

 

Follow Sin City Stories: Vegas True Crime on Facebook & Instagram

 

Follow Mayhem In The Desert on X (formerly Twitter) & Facebook

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

I generally try to keep things pretty light on the podcast and stay away from topics that some might consider "serious" or "controversial", but if I spot an issue that I think my listeners need to know about, I go for it. So, heads up...this might not be the Jeff Does Vegas that you're used to.

Human Trafficking is a massive problem around the world, and especially in Las Vegas; it might not come as much of a surprise to some people that Vegas has the 4th-highest rate of trafficking in the United States ranking behind Orlando, Atlanta and Washington D.C..

I wanted to take a dive into the issue, get to the root of the problem, and find out what's behind this high rate of human trafficking as well as but some of the myths & misconceptions surrounding it - and I think you might be very shocked by what you're about to hear.

To help me out with this topic, I reached out to a Las Vegas organization called The Cupcake Girls and my guest for this episode of the podcast is Amy-Marie Merrell, their Executive Director.

Amy & I discussed the work that The Cupcake Girls does with victims of human trafficking & sex trafficking as well as those working in the sex industry who are consensual sex workers, Amy shared some shocking facts about who's being trafficked and by whom they are being trafficked, and we talked about some of the legal changes Amy would like to see happen to better support & protect victims of trafficking.

If you want to learn more about The Cupcake Girls, support the work they're doing, or find the resources needed to get assistance, visit their website at TheCupcakeGirls.org. You can also follow them Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

As frequent listeners to the podcast know, one of my favorite parts of visiting Vegas is the food.

Over the last several years, Las Vegas has become a Foodie's paradise with dozens of new restaurants opening each year, featuring celebrity chefs and cuisine you can possibly imagine. But you know what? No matter how hard you try, you just can't beat a classic.

The Golden Steer, located just off the strip on Sahara Boulevard is Las Vegas's oldest continually operating steakhouse. They opened back in 1958 and over the course of it's almost-65 year history, they've become legendary not only for their amazing steaks but for the incredible service, old Vegas atmosphere, and their famous (and infamous) customers.

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Nick McMillan, Managing Partner of the Golden Steer. Nick and I talked about the early days of the Golden Steer, it's evolution from "western roadhouse" to "cool celebrity hangout", their place in Vegas Mob History, and what makes the Golden Steer different from other Las Vegas steakhouses.

If you want to learn more about the Golden Steer and make a reservation for your next Vegas trip, visit their website. And for drool-worthy pics of their awesome food, be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

"The only constant in life is change" - Heraclitus

There's nowhere else in the world where that statement is more accurate than Las Vegas.

It's constantly evolving, always trying to find new ways to bring new people - and revenue - to the city. And from the late 1980's through to the early 2000's, Las Vegas made the conscious decision to cater to a group of travellers whom they'd never attempted to attract before:

Families.

From castle-shaped hotels, to pirate battles in the desert, to full-blown amusement parks, Las Vegas made no secrets about who they wanted to come to the city during that time in history. But where did it all start? And how did it end up?

My guest for this episode of the podcast is UNLV professor and Las Vegas historian, David G. Schwartz. David & I discussed some of Las Vegas's early attempts at being family-friendly, what led to the push to try to attract families to the city, and the eventual shift away from that strategy.

Want to learn more about Las Vegas's family-friendly era of the 1990's? Visit these links:

- "Family Friendly Las Vegas: An Analysis of Space and Time" - Diana Tracy Cohn

- "Column One: Las Vegas Gambles on Families" - LA Times (Sept 23, 1994)

- "The Sun's List Of Shuttered Family Friendly Vegas Attractions" - Las Vegas Sun (Feb 23, 2012)

- "Family Friendly Las Vegas of the 90's" Panel Discussion (Video) - The Neon Museum (2016)

And as discussed, check out the "Treasure Island: The Adventure Begins" TV special that ran on NBC-TV in 1994 to promote the opening of the Treasure Island Resort.

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

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.

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

There's no question that Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world, and all through the city's history, it's played host to some of the most legendary acts of all time.

Some names come to mind instantly, like The Rat Pack...Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin & Sammy Davis Jr. There's Mr. Las Vegas, Wayne Newton who's been headlining in Vegas since the mid-1960's. And of course, there's the King Of Rock N' Roll, Elvis Presley who sold out a record 636 shows at the International Hotel (later, the Las Vegas Hilton).

But one performer made his mark on Las Vegas before any of those people. In fact, some would say he paved the way for not only past legends but the massive residencies that would come decades later.

That performer is the one and only Liberace...

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Claire White, the Director of Education at The Mob Museum in Downtown Las Vegas. Before she joined the Mob Museum, Claire spent several years working at the now-closed Liberace Museum, also in Las Vegas, where she learned all about the long & storied career of "Mr. Showmanship".

If you want to check out some of the highlights of Liberace's life, check these out:

Liberace performing "Chopsticks"

Liberace live with the London Philharmonic Orchestra

Liberace's dual role as villains, "Chandell" and "Harry" on the classic TV series, Batman

Liberace's appearance on The Muppet Show

Liberace hosts on MTV in 1985

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

"In Vegas, everybody's gotta watch everybody else. Since the players are looking to beat the casino, the dealers are watching the players. The box men are watching the dealers. The floor men are watching the box men. The pit bosses are watching the floor men. The shift bosses are watching the pit bosses. The casino manager is watching the shift bosses. I'm watching the casino manager. And the eye-in-the-sky is watching us all." - Sam "Ace" Rothstein, "Casino", 1995

Since the days of Sam Rothstein and the Tangiers - or Frank Rosenthal and the Stardust, if you will - casino security has come a LONG ways.

The industry has moved on from binocular-carrying staff, wandering catwalks in the ceiling to a world of digitally networked video recording and facial recognition software...and my guest for this episode of the podcast is here to take us behind the curtain and into that world.

Charles H. Barry is an expert in casino and corporate security, surveillance & investigations and currently runs his own consulting firm. He has over 30 years in the field and has worked with several major gaming companies. Mr. Barry is also a former law enforcement officer, having worked as a detective with the Phoenix Police Department and as a Special Agent with the FBI.

Charles and I discussed the evolution of casino security over the last several decades, emerging threats to casinos & hotels, and the major event that forced gaming corporations to re-examine their security procedures from top to bottom.

If you'd like to learn more about Charles and the services he currently provides, be sure to visit his website.

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

According to reports, Strip Clubs in the United States - or "Gentleman's Clubs" as they're often called - were forecasted to pull in roughly $7.4 BILLION in revenue in 2022. In Las Vegas, there are over TWENTY different clubs for visitors to patronize. And often, visiting a strip club in Las Vegas is a person's first experience with this type of establishment.

If you've never been to a strip club, chances are you've got questions...and my guest for this episode of the podcast is the perfect person to answer them.

Her name is Keila and she's currently a dancer at a Gentleman's Club in Las Vegas.

In addition to discussing proper etiquette for anyone planning on visiting a club in Vegas, Keila was kind enough to chat with me about what got her into dancing, what her daily pre-and-post work routine entails, and we busted some of the myths & misconceptions about the people who work in her industry.

If you want to learn more about Keila & see what life as a dancer is like, follow her on TikTok and Instagram.

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

The 1995 movie, "Casino" directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Sharon Stone is, in my opinion, an absolute classic and a must-watch for anyone at all interested in Las Vegas.

The film tells the story of Sam "Ace" Rothstein, an expert sports-handicapper who's sent to Las Vegas by the Chicago Outfit to oversee the skimming operations at the fictional Tangiers Hotel & Casino.

"Casino" is based on actual events and pulls its story from the book, "Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas", written by Nicholas Pileggi who co-wrote the screenplay along with Martin Scorsese.

As always, whenever a book based on a true story makes a move to the big screen, there's certain plot points that tend to be overly dramatized (or even flat-out made up) for the sake of entertainment. My guest for this episode of the podcast is here to help shed some light on some of the Fact vs. Fiction aspects of "Casino".

Geoff Schumacher is the Vice President of Exhibits & Programs at the Mob Museum in Las Vegas. He was kind enough to join me to help separate reality from fantasy when it comes to the world of "Ace" Rothstein/"Lefty" Rosenthal.

Did hotel security actually smash a cheater's hand with a hammer?  Did an FBI surveillance plane actually run out of gas and land on a golf course fairway?  Was there really an issue with blueberry muffins?

We get the answers to these questions - and many more!

Visit The Mob Museum's official website and be sure to follow them on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the Mob Museum's YouTube channel where you can check out virtual tours, special presentations and more!

And if you want to really get into Las Vegas history and read the true story of Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal, Anthony Spilotro, the Hole in the Wall Gang and the massive Stardust skimming operation, pick up your copy of "Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas" by Nicholas Pileggi.

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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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

Dark Tourism - otherwise known as Thana Tourism, Black Tourism, or Morbid Tourism - is the term used to describe travel to places that are historically associated with death and tragedy.

Dark Tourism destinations exist all over the world; from Nazi concentration camps in Poland, to the site of the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine, to Ground Zero in New York City. There are Jack the Ripper tours in London, Pablo Escobar tours in Colombia and even JFK assassination tours in Dallas.

But what is it that brings people to these types of attractions? Why has so-called Dark Tourism seen such a boom in recent years?

My guest for this episode of the podcast is here to answer that question...and many others.

Marta Soligo teaches Sociology of Leisure at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and is also a visiting professor at the University of Bergamo in Italy, where she teaches Sociology of Tourism. Marta has also done extensive research into Dark Tourism, specifically as it relates to celebrity culture.

Marta and I discussed what got her interested in studying tourism & leisure from the sociology side of things, why people are attracted to "the macabre", and she shared a few examples of Dark Tourism destinations in Las Vegas.

If you'd like to learn more about Dark Tourism, there are LOTS of great resources on line including Google Scholar (which has - literally - HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of great articles on the subject) and the website, dark-tourism.com featuring an extensive database of over a thousand Dark Tourism sites in 115 different countries around the world! 

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This podcast episode was originally released as part of the Sin City Stories: Vegas True Crime series

Las Vegas resident, Frank Waters survived his service with the U.S. military in Europe during World War II.

 

But only a year after the war's end, the consequences of Frank's actions overseas followed him thousands of miles back to the middle of the Mojave Desert, ultimately leading to a series of events that would end with Frank's murder and a trial that made international headlines.

 

To learn about other true crime tales from the darker side of Las Vegas history, visit Mayhem In The Desert.

 

Follow Sin City Stories: Vegas True Crime on Facebook & Instagram

 

Follow Mayhem In The Desert on X (formerly Twitter) & Facebook

 

__________________________________________________________________________

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!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy