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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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!

Vegas Book Club - ”At The Sands” by David G. Schwartz

Jeff Does Vegas takes listeners on a thrilling journey to the world-famous Las Vegas Strip…and beyond!  Offering a unique blend of insider tips & tricks, captivating stories, and in-depth interviews with local experts, entertainers, and Vegas insiders, Jeff Does Vegas also dives into the fascinating history & evolution of the city including the stories behind the iconic landmarks, legendary performers, and notorious characters who’ve helped to shape the city’s unique culture.  Whether you’re a ”seasoned Vegas veteran” or preparing for your first visit, this is the podcast for all your Las Vegas needs!

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Leisure

I'm 5+ years into this podcast journey now with over 200 episodes available - including bonus & special episodes.  There's a ton of great topics I've covered on the show over the years and a lot of those episodes are now buried deep in the archives.
So, I thought that to save you searching all over the place for those episodes, I'd go ahead and do the digging for you with a feature I like to call, "From The Vault", where I re-share some of the best episodes from the early days of the podcast.
This time around, we're going all the way back to my conversation with Lauren Wolfe, the founder of the website, Kill Resort Fees.
Lauren is a Washington, DC-based lawyer who, like a lot of people who travel to Las Vegas (and elsewhere around the world) got tired being nickel-and-dimed with this so-called "mandatory fee" and decided to do something about it.
KillResortFees.com is a site devoted not only to eliminating resort fees, but educating travellers on how to avoid them, how to get them refunded, and how to force the government to take action against these and other "junk fees".
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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!

From The Vault: Kill Resort Fees

We have officially reached the end of an era in Las Vegas.
After 67 years, one of the most legendary properties on the strip is shutting down, and as of April 2nd, 2024, the Tropicana will be no more.
When it first opened back in April of 1957, it was one of the most luxurious hotels & casinos in Las Vegas, calling itself "The Tiffany of the Strip".  It's seen growth & expansion over the decades and it's survived ownership changes, financial crisis, and a global pandemic...all to be permanently closed to make way for a new baseball stadium.
My guest for this episode of the podcast is UNLV Professor & Las Vegas Historian, David G. Schwartz.  David and I went in-depth on the history of the Tropicana including the very beginnings of the property, what set it apart from other resorts on the strip, some of the infamous figures associated with running the Tropicana, and much 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!

Tropicana: So Long, Farewell...

If you're a fan of Vegas-related movies & pop culture, chances are that you've heard about "the Black Book".
This is a list of people who are banned from entering any gaming establishment in the state of Nevada for ANY reason - as was highlighted by Joe Pesci & Robert DeNiro in this scene from 1995 classic film, "Casino".
So exactly how does one end up in "the Black Book"?  And, more importantly, how does one get OUT of it?  My guest for this episode of the podcast is here to answer those questions and many more...
Back for another conversation is Geoff Schumacher, Vice President of Exhibits & Programs at the Mob Museum in Downtown Las Vegas.
We went in-depth on the history of the Black Book including when it came into existence and why, some of the famous (and infamous) names that have landed in the book, and much 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!

BLACK LISTED - The History of the Nevada Black Book

It's time for ANOTHER World Famous Jeff Does Vegas Trip Report!
For this episode, we're recapping my most recent Las Vegas trip, from February 4-6, 2024 - trip #1 of the year and what might be my most SPONTANEOUS Vegas trip ever!
I've got another review of my stay at The Horseshoe, meals at Grand Luxe Cafe, Lou's Diner & Robert Irvine's Public House, and I share my thoughts & opinions on a few hotels/resorts that I took the time to walk through including one brand-new resort and one that's closing its doors at the start of April.
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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!

The February Trip Report

Back in March of 2022, I was joined on the podcast by Adam Bauer - aka "Travel Fanboy", aka "Cheapskate Vegas" - for what I thought would be a one-off conversation about some of the changes Las Vegas was going through at the time.
We talked about things that had happened over the previous 12 months and made some predictions on what we thought would happen in the following 12 months. That "one-off conversation" has turned into an annual tradition and I'm pleased to welcome Adam back for the THIRD time as we share more of our Las Vegas prophecies & predictions!
We talk about last year's predictions - including what we got wrong & what we got right; We share our thoughts & opinions on how big events like Super Bowl & F1 went as well as what needs to happen to make these events better; And we make predictions on what 2024 will bring to Las Vegas!
Follow Adam on X (formerly Twitter) and be sure to check out his website, Cheapskate Vegas for all the latest updates on what's going 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!

Vegas Book Club - ”At The Sands” by David G. Schwartz

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