MTM Vegas - Fun, Interesting & Absurd Sides of Vegas!

Resorts World officially killed cashless gaming — and honestly, nobody's surprised. In this episode, Shawn and Mark dig into what went wrong, plus the growing Caesars Entertainment breakup rumors, Justin Timberlake's reported 2028 Park MGM negotiations, and February visitor numbers that finally give Vegas something to smile about.

What we cover:

• Resorts World dumps cashless gaming — back to cash and TITO
• Caesars breakup rumors: Fertitta vs. Icahn and what splits off
• Justin Timberlake negotiating 2028 Park MGM residency
• Las Vegas February visitors up 2.1% — first increase since December 2024
• NBA team name debate: Dealers, Jokers, Neon, Mirage?
• Vanderpump Hotel bathrooms disappoint despite luxury makeover
• Tacos Del Rio opens at Rio, replacing Guy Fieri's Drunken Donkey
• Maroon by Chef Kwame opening April 24 at Sahara
• Durango Phase 3 construction underway
• Hard Rock Cafe guitar replaced with a screen at Showcase Mall

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 World Pizza Games — Cold Open
• 0:40 Durango Phase 3 Construction Update
• 1:28 Las Vegas NBA Team Name Debate
• 2:57 Hard Rock Cafe Guitar Becomes a Screen
• 4:19 Resorts World Ends Cashless Gaming
• 6:24 Justin Timberlake Eyes 2028 Park MGM Residency
• 8:04 Caesars Entertainment Breakup Rumors
• 10:46 Vanderpump Hotel Bathrooms — The Missing Bathtub
• 12:22 Tacos Del Rio Opens at Rio — Drunken Donkey Replaced
• 13:55 Maroon by Chef Kwame — April 24 at Sahara
• 15:14 Las Vegas February Visitor Numbers
• 16:50 Mobile Sports Betting Up 28.9%

Want more MTM Vegas? Get our exclusive weekly aftershow and join the community.

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Save big on Vegas with Las Vegas Advisor — get 10% off a membership with code MTM (new members, affiliate): lasvegasadvisor.com

The NBA is officially exploring Las Vegas expansion — and 100% of owners voted yes. Shawn and Mark break down why Bill Foley and T-Mobile Arena is the obvious call, what it means for the city to have four major sports leagues, and whether Las Vegas is big enough to pull it off. Plus Shawn hits the Cadence Crossing grand opening (Boyd Gaming's first new casino in 20 years) with an honest review. And MGM just launched the first all-inclusive deal ever at a Strip resort — $330 for two nights, two people, meals, a show, and parking. Is it actually worth it?

In This Episode:

• Resorts World "Ride the Ranch" — giant Hidden Valley Ranch bottle in The District
• Winnie & Buck statue removed from Harrah's Vegas, now at Harrah's OKC
• WrestleMania 42 watch parties now allowed in Las Vegas
• Cadence Crossing grand opening — first new Boyd casino in 20 years, Shawn's review
• Zoox expanding to Sphere, T-Mobile Arena, and the Convention Center
• Mandatory side bets hit the Strip — New York-New York now forces a $2 side bet on $5 blackjack
• Vegas Matt's $5,000 bet video — must-watch
• Super Bowl 2029 back to Vegas? NFL owners vote next week
• NBA expansion — 100% of owners voted to explore Las Vegas + Seattle franchises
• MGM All-Inclusive at Luxor + Excalibur — $330 for 2 nights, meals, show, parking included

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Resorts World Ranch Bottle — Only in Vegas
• 0:36 Winnie & Buck Statue Lives — But Not in Vegas Anymore
• 1:50 WrestleMania 42 Watch Parties Now Allowed in Vegas
• 3:05 Cadence Crossing Grand Opening — We Were There
• 7:07 Zoox Expanding to Sphere, T-Mobile Arena & Convention Center
• 9:01 Mandatory Side Bets Hit the Strip at New York-New York
• 10:59 Vegas Matt's Wild $5,000 Bet Video
• 12:09 Super Bowl 2029 Coming Back to Vegas?
• 13:12 NBA Coming to Las Vegas — 100% of Owners Vote Yes
• 16:02 Can Vegas support 4 teams?
• 18:07 MGM All-Inclusive at Luxor + Excalibur — Worth It?

Links:

• Cadence Crossing Casino Opening
• NBA Expansion — Las Vegas
• MGM All-Inclusive Package Details
• MTM Vegas Patreon — weekly aftershow + community
• Free newsletter
• Watch on YouTube
• Apple Podcasts
• MTM Vegas Merch

Advertiser Disclosure: This site/channel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site/channel (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers.

• Shawn's InKind referral - https://app.inkind.com/refer/4FJZRGUZ
• Save big on Vegas with Las Vegas Advisor — get 10% off a membership with code MTM (new members, affiliate): lasvegasadvisor.com

Vegas is changing this week — White Castle is leaving the Strip, the Cromwell is becoming the Vanderpump Hotel, and Nevada Gaming just told casinos how to handle life without pennies. Plus Lotus of Siam lands on InKind, Durango holds a massive casino yoga event at sunset, and the IGT/Everi merger cuts 700 jobs.

In This Episode:

• White Castle closing at Casino Royale and Henderson — 3 of 5 Vegas locations surviving
• Vanderpump Hotel (formerly Cromwell): rooms booking now for May 26, from $139, "industrial romantic" design
• Nevada Gaming Control Board guidance on the death of the penny in casinos
• Lotus of Siam on InKind — pad thai, Penang curry, Thai iced tea, dirty parking lot
• IGT/Everi merger fallout: 700 layoffs, HQ moves to Vegas
• TLC, SWV & En Vogue at Fontainebleau — Oct 9, tickets on sale March 26
• Durango casino yoga event at sunset — Vegas becoming a culture hub
• GVR new carpet update — looking a lot like Durango
• Silver miners, wager savers, and squeezing the most out of your last credits

Episode Guide

• 0:00 Cosmo high limit room mouthwash hack
• 0:30 Durango's sunset yoga event — Vegas culture in 2026
• 1:50 Green Valley Ranch carpet renovation update
• 3:15 Casino Royale White Castle closing
• 5:05 Lotus of Siam on Inkind — Shawn's visit
• 7:20 Fountainbleau 90s concert: TLC, Salt-N-Pepa, En Vogue (Oct 9)
• 8:25 IGT + Everi merger: 700 layoffs, new CEO
• 10:05 Las Vegas Advisor — get your book with code MTM
• 10:30 The penny is dead — Nevada casino rounding rules
• 13:40 Silver miners and wager savers explained
• 15:40 Vanderpump Hotel reservations open — dates + pricing
• 17:00 Room design revealed — "industrial romantic"
• 18:00 What's staying + new Vanderpump cocktail lounge
• 18:35 Lisa Vanderpump's Vegas empire
• 19:55 Closing thoughts + subscribe

Want more MTM Vegas? Get our exclusive weekly aftershow and join the community: patreon.com/cw/MtMVegas

• Subscribe to our newsletter: milestomemories.com/newsletter
• Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@mtmvegas
• Apple Podcasts: Apple Podcasts
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• Merch: mtmvegas.shop

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Joker's Wild is officially closed after 33 years — and a brand new Boyd Gaming casino opens just feet away this Wednesday. Plus, the NBA expansion vote is this week and Las Vegas is at the top of the list. Also: dining shakeups, Canadian tourism struggles, and Caesars' giant new digital sign.

In this episode:

• Joker's Wild closes Sunday night after 33 years — Cadence Crossing opens Wednesday at noon on the same site
• NBA expansion vote March 24-25 — Vegas expected to land a team starting 2028-29; $7-10B fee; Bill Foley, Magic Johnson, Oakview competing for ownership
• March Madness viewing parties across Vegas — $500 Cosmo events to $1 coffee at South Point
• Canadian tourism down 24% in 2025; Circa/Golden Gate drew 15,000 Canadians with their Vegas on Par promo; LVCVA approves $3.5M campaign starting July 2026
• Guy Fieri out at Rio (Burro Borracho closes); Giada staying through Vanderpump Hotel transition at Cromwell
• Caesars Palace's giant new digital sign — are Vegas signs losing their unique character?
• CBRE analysts: no major drag on Vegas tourism yet — 60-90 days is the warning zone

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Vegas
• 0:14 March Madness Viewing Parties Across Las Vegas
• 0:50 Circus Circus Pop-Up & South Point's Value Prices
• 1:48 Vegas Sports History: From UNLV to the Golden Knights
• 2:47 NBA Expansion Vote — Las Vegas Expected to Land a Team
• 3:51 Ownership Groups, Arena Sites & the North Strip Debate
• 7:06 Guy Fieri Out at Rio — Burro Borracho Closes
• 7:56 Vanderpump Hotel Transition Begins at Cromwell
• 9:02 Canadian Tourism Down 24% — Vegas Fights Back
• 10:43 Caesars' New Giant Sign & Are We Losing Vegas' Identity?
• 12:35 Economic Uncertainty: Is Vegas Feeling It Yet?
• 14:36 Joker's Wild Is Closed — History & Cadence Crossing Opens

Want more MTM Vegas? Get our exclusive weekly aftershow and join the community.

📧 Subscribe to our newsletter ▶️ Watch on YouTube 🎧 Apple Podcasts 🛍️ Merch 🌐 milestomemories.com

Save 10% on a Las Vegas Advisor 2026 membership and book with code MTM.

• https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/shop/products/lva-membership-platinum/?ref=MTM

Episode Description

A viral TikTok claimed a man won $3 million at Fontainebleau and got kicked out — turns out it was likely a guerrilla marketing stunt for a streetwear brand. Meanwhile, a convicted felon running for Congress just got banned from every MGM property, Resorts World is shutting down its poker room, and we pay tribute to JP Pavlock, one of the people who loved Las Vegas more than anyone we've known.

• 0:00 Sammy Hagar on the Bellagio Gondola
• 0:40 Bellagio Spring Display & Bruno Mars
• 2:32 Viral Fontainebleau "I Won $3M" Video
• 4:40 Bobby Khan: Banned from MGM, Running for Congress
• 6:52 Resorts World Poker Room Closing March 30
• 8:28 Neonopolis Elevators: 82 Months Broken
• 9:27 Area 15 Zone 2 Grand Opening
• 10:49 Remembering JP Pavlock
• 13:40 Circus Circus: "Next Epicenter of Luxury"?
• 16:59 MGM Rewards "Play More, Get More" Challenge
• 18:30 MGM Grand Room Review
• 22:00 Best MGM rooms in Vegas?

Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. We do two news shows weekly on YouTube with this being the audio version. Never miss out on the latest happenings in and around Las Vegas!

Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [email protected].

You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or by searching "MtM Vegas" or "Miles to Memories" in your favorite podcast app. Don't forget to check out our travel/miles/points podcast as well!

Save big on Vegas with Las Vegas Advisor — get 10% off a membership with code MTM (new members, affiliate): https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/shop/products/lva-membership-platinum/?ref=MTM Vegas is about to make history — not the good kind. A 50% chance of 100 degrees on Friday would be the hottest March day Las Vegas has ever recorded. Plus Tony Roma's at Fremont is officially closing on May 9th, and Shawn finally got to ride Zoox on the Strip — just days after the company announced a full partnership with Uber. Mark joins midway to break it all down. In This Episode: • Vegas could hit 100° this week — a first in Las Vegas recorded history • A's stadium construction: the view from MGM Grand as it takes shape • Tony Roma's at Fremont closing May 9th — history, prime rib specials, and the Lefty Rosenthal tie-in • Craft Kitchen closes at the Fremont food hall • EDC's 30th anniversary: the EDC Parade on May 14th is free for everyone on the Strip • Zoox announces full Uber partnership starting this summer — and free rides won't last • Shawn's first Zoox ride: MGM Grand to Wynn and back, wait times, interior, and conservative robot driving • The future of autonomous vehicles in Las Vegas Episode Guide: 0:00 Intro — Vegas Might Break an All-Time Heat Record 0:44 It's Never Hit 100° in March or April — The History 1:00 What the Heat Means for Locals and Visitors 1:25 A's Stadium Construction — The View From MGM Grand 2:08 Tony Roma's Is Closing at Fremont — May 9th 2:57 Shawn's Tony Roma's Memories 3:24 The Lefty Rosenthal Connection 3:52 Craft Kitchen Closes at the Fremont Food Hall 4:23 EDC's 30th Anniversary Is Coming to Vegas 4:51 The EDC Parade — Free for Everyone on May 14th 5:54 Mark Joins: Zoox + Uber Partnership Announced 6:36 How Zoox Works on the Strip 7:34 Shawn's First Zoox Ride — MGM Grand to Wynn 8:24 Inside the Car — Space, Music, and the Touchscreens 9:06 Zoox in Traffic — Conservative Driving and the Bus Incident 9:59 The Conversation You Knew Was Coming 10:47 Wait Times and How Zoox Routes Its Fleet 11:37 Should You Ride Zoox Now? (Yes, While It's Free) Want more MTM Vegas? Get our exclusive weekly aftershow and join the community: https://www.patreon.com/cw/MtMVegas Subscribe to our newsletter: https://milestomemories.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=39c6737d725a04fea73324680&id=1e73edd8c8 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mtmvegas Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mtm-vegas-fun-interesting-absurd-sides-of-vegas/id1574194686 Website: http://milestomemories.com Merch: https://mtmvegas.shop

Save big on Vegas with Las Vegas Advisor — get 10% off a membership with code MTM (new members, affiliate): https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/shop/products/lva-membership-platinum/?ref=MTM A guest at Silver Sevens got stung by a scorpion and the attorney's description of the hotel is genuinely legendary. In this episode, the 2025 Las Vegas Visitor Survey is out and the data is worth digging into: first-timers have dropped from 24% post-COVID to just 10% in 2025, wealthier visitors are filling the gap, and price dissatisfaction is rising even among the highest earners. Plus a Park MGM first-of-its-kind filming gaming salon, Shawn's Excalibur Tiki Bar walkthrough, and Cadence Crossing opening March 25th. In This Episode: • Scorpion attack at Silver Sevens Hotel — guest stung, casino never apologized, attorney drops the best line of 2025 • Shawn received an autographed copy of Las Vegas Then & Now from UNLV Libraries, plus vintage postcards • Green Valley Ranch $200M renovation update — new suites, new casino carpet, Durango-level glow-up • Park MGM's private filming gaming salon — first of its kind, headed to the Nevada Gaming Control Board • Excalibur Tiki Bar — Shawn visits, medieval tiki is real, the carpet deserves more credit • Dirty Castle check-in nostalgia — Excalibur was once the largest hotel in the world • Cadence Crossing opening March 25th at noon on Boulder Highway • Las Vegas Visitor Survey 2025: gambling budgets hit $848, first-timers at 10%, price is the top complaint Episode Guide: 0:00 Scorpion Attack at Silver Sevens Hotel 1:06 UNLV Libraries Gift — Autographed Book & Vintage Postcards 2:04 Green Valley Ranch $200M Renovation — New Suites & Design 2:36 Green Valley Ranch Casino Floor & New Carpet 4:02 Park MGM's Private Filming Gaming Salon 5:00 The Roller Coaster Comparison & Who Is This For? 6:22 Excalibur Tiki Bar — First Impressions 7:21 Inside the Tiki Bar — Carpet, Vibe & Medieval Tiki 8:14 Dirty Castle: Check-In Lobby Then vs. Now 9:51 Cadence Crossing Opening March 25th 10:39 Joker's Wild Closure & What's Next for That Land 11:34 Las Vegas Visitor Survey 2025 — Intro & "Vegas Is Dead" Narrative 13:08 Why First-Timers Are Disappearing 14:15 Income Gap: Who's Actually Coming to Vegas 15:12 Gambling Budgets Are Up, Hotel Stays Are Down 17:39 Satisfaction Numbers & The Price Problem 19:38 Takeaways & Wrap Want more MTM Vegas? Get our exclusive weekly aftershow and join the community: https://www.patreon.com/cw/MtMVegas Subscribe to our newsletter: https://milestomemories.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=39c6737d725a04fea73324680&id=1e73edd8c8 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mtmvegas Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mtm-vegas-fun-interesting-absurd-sides-of-vegas/id1574194686 Website: http://milestomemories.com Merch: https://mtmvegas.shop

Save 10% on a Las Vegas Advisor 2026 membership and book with code MTM.

• https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/shop/products/lva-membership-platinum/?ref=MTM

Episode Description

The Cromwell sign is already coming down — Vanderpump Hotel is officially underway. Meanwhile the biggest Vegas business story of the week broke wide open: Tillman Fertitta is reportedly trying to buy Caesars Entertainment for $7 billion, outbidding Carl Icahn, and it could reshape the Strip for a generation. Plus Saks at the Fashion Show Mall is closing after 45 years, and Shawn was on the floor at New York New York during a full system meltdown.

• 0:00 Sunrise Sphere: Beautiful or Boring?
• 0:24 Cromwell Becomes Vanderpump Hotel
• 1:57 MGM Grand Elevator Breakdown
• 2:54 NY NY System Outage
• 4:33 Saks Fashion Show Mall Closing
• 6:33 Conrad Complete at Resorts World
• 10:03 MGM Rewards Status Match
• 12:03 Caesars: Fertitta's $7B Bid Confirmed
• 13:11 Fertitta vs Icahn: Who's Better for Vegas?
• 14:20 Can He Afford It? The $7B Question
• 15:28 Golden Nugget, the Rockets & What's Next

Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. We do two news shows weekly on YouTube with this being the audio version. Never miss out on the latest happenings in and around Las Vegas!

Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [email protected].

You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or by searching "MtM Vegas" or "Miles to Memories" in your favorite podcast app. Don't forget to check out our travel/miles/points podcast as well!

Save 10% on a Las Vegas Advisor 2026 membership and book with code MTM.

• https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/shop/products/lva-membership-platinum/?ref=MTM

Episode Description

After 25 years at MGM Grand, David Copperfield is done — his final show is April 30th. Meanwhile, the Boring Company dropped a wave of Vegas Loop news this week, including the mind-blowing reveal that 11 miles of tunnels are already built and waiting for approvals. Plus: Chinatown has nearly doubled in size, Claw World just opened, and Criss Angel's Lambeau is still for sale.

• 0:00 ESPN's Outdated Vegas B-Roll
• 0:41 Caviar Service in High Limit Rooms
• 2:05 Las Vegas Chinatown By the Numbers
• 4:07 Claw World Opens in Chinatown
• 6:44 David Copperfield Leaving MGM Grand
• 8:41 Chris Angel Lambeau Update
• 9:24 A's Stadium Diamond Club Renderings
• 11:40 Hard Rock Guitar Tower Drone View
• 13:22 Vegas Loop: Westgate's 4th Tunnel & Airport Connection
• 15:05 Vegas Loop: UNLV Station, Park MGM Spur & New Routes
• 16:19 Vegas Loop: The Approval Bottleneck & 11 Miles Already Built

Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. We do two news shows weekly on YouTube with this being the audio version. Never miss out on the latest happenings in and around Las Vegas!

Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [email protected].

You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or by searching "MtM Vegas" or "Miles to Memories" in your favorite podcast app. Don't forget to check out our travel/miles/points podcast as well!

Save 10% on a Las Vegas Advisor 2026 membership and book with code MTM.

• https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/shop/products/lva-membership-platinum/?ref=MTM

Episode Description

This week on MTM Vegas: Tillman Fertitta is reportedly eyeing a Caesars Entertainment purchase — stock is up 22% and we have a viewer corroboration from inside a Caesars property. Also: cashless slot machines are arriving at Plaza, where you can fund a machine directly from your bank account via QR code. The company behind them says this leads to 92% more spending per session. Plus the Eastside Cannery implosion, Caesars Diamond Elite cruise perk, Luxor pool renovation before pool season, the Amex Sidecar Lounge at Harry Reid, Mirage gold windows myth busted, and the eternal Fontainebleau pronunciation debate.

• 0:00 Fontainebleau: How Do You Actually Say It?
• 0:30 Eastside Cannery Implosion
• 1:58 Caesars Diamond Elite Gets a Free Cruise
• 3:52 RUMOR: Tillman Fertitta Eyeing Caesars Purchase
• 6:45 Four Queens vs. Strip Prices (The Snickers Bar War)
• 8:21 Luxor Pool Gets Demolished Before Pool Season
• 10:46 New Amex Sidecar Lounge at Harry Reid Airport
• 12:34 Mirage Gold Windows Myth — Finally Busted
• 13:50 Cashless Slot Machines Arrive at Plaza — How It Works
• 14:50 The Data: 38% Higher Coin-In
• 15:33 Is This Good for Gamblers? (The ATM Barrier Argument)
• 17:44 The Psychology of Cashless: Coins → Tickets → QR Codes

Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. We do two news shows weekly on YouTube with this being the audio version. Never miss out on the latest happenings in and around Las Vegas!

Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [email protected].

You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or by searching "MtM Vegas" or "Miles to Memories" in your favorite podcast app. Don't forget to check out our travel/miles/points podcast as well!