With four years of podcasts (119 Episodes!), we thought it would be good to look back and share some of our best moments. But there are so many, it will take us three episodes to do it. This one centers on gaming - except for how Jonathan almost didn't make it to Las Vegas thanks to Dyson vacuum cleaners. Also: great stories from  Wynn Las Vegas president Marilyn Spiegel, casino superhost Steve Cyr, veteran gambler Billy Walters, Plaza bingo guru Weldon Russell, gambling consultant & author Anthony Curtis and former Golden Nugget owner Tim Poster. 

Hosts: Jonathan Jossel, Gary Vickery

Every big city had its ghetto, and Las Vegas was no exception. But the people of the Historic Westside made the most of what they had. Filmmaker Emmett Gates has spearheaded a new film about that place and those times, called "Across the Tracks: A Las Vegas Westside Story." He shares the story about making the film, the memories shared by longtime residents, and the hopes for the future. 

Hosts: Jonathan Jossel, Gary Vickery

Pauly C is Paul Contino, a former telcom executive who also calls himself a degenerate gambler. He's also the inventor of Casino Comp Wallet, an app that aggregates and curates your various loyalty programs and comps you've earned. And Pauly C is also an Internet star, posting short Vegas-centric videos under the name "Vegas Pauly C." His dozens of posts have accumulated more than a million views. Pauly C shares the ups and downs of his Vegas journey, and offers some tips on maximizing your comps. 

Downtown Grand GM Andrew Economon has, in his words, worked "both sides of the street" in Las Vegas - for Caesars and for MGM. He's made other stops along The Strip and off The Strip, He now runs the hotel that used to be "Lady Luck." After a long closure, it came back ten years ago as The Downtown Grand. Andrew and Jonathan discuss the challenges and rewards of operating downtown, and the latest efforts to, in Andrew's words, "Make Downtown Great Again." He even has hats with that motto!

Jonathan and Gary continue the "tradition" of welcoming new manager by putting them on the podcast. Christiaan Van Buuren is the new Director of Table Games, and a South African like Jonathan. Christiaan shares his journey from the casino world of South Africa to Las Vegas, a detour to South Korea, then back to Vegas. Also in this episode: Jonathan and Gary review the big events of 2023 at the Plaza, and preview/hint at new things to come. 

Las Vegas' first female mayor, Jan Jones Blackhurst, served from 1994 to 1999 - immediately preceding Oscar Goodman. Jones Blackhurst had already made a name for herself as a TV spokeswoman for her family's grocery store chain, Thrifimart, and her former husband's car dealership. She tells how she ran for mayor on a bet, which she obviously won. The city mushroomed in size during her terms, and she's credited with making the city more livable. She shares stories about establishing the Fremont Street Experience, running for governor and her career with Caesars since leaving office. 

It's finally here. Fontainebleau Las Vegas is opening its doors. Jonathan and Gary got a sneak peek from the woman at the top, COO Colleen Birch. Recorded inside the resort's top steakhouse, Colleen recounts her Vegas history and how she joined Fontainebleau nearly a year ago. 

When Vegas wants to do something big, like hosting the Super Bowl or F1, or helping the A's move to town, somebody has to crunch the numbers. And often, that somebody Jeremy Aguero, head of Applied Analysis. He's the valley's leading expert on economic, fiscal and policy issues, and has undertaken projects of local, regional and national significance. Jeremy and Jonathan discuss some of those projects, and agree to disagree on the benefits of F1. 

This is a short bonus preview for a full episode that will come out at the end of November. With Formula One weekend happening in Las Vegas, Jonathan wants to share some thoughts about how it’s going for the Plaza and other downtown properties. Here’s Jonathan with Jeremy Aguero, founder of Applied Analysis, which played a big part in helping Formula One and the LVCVA make the race happen.