The Vegas Tourist Podcast

Let's call this one "the last 24 hours"!! There are those moments in your life when you just say "dang, this would make a great podcast" and there you have it. 24 hours in the life of a Las Vegas Tour Guide on Halloween weekend. Talking with my Wife, Debbie about the 25th annual Fetish and Fantasy Halloween Ball, then one of the BEST Valley fo Fire tours I ever had!!

In this episode, we discuss the world of resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. The MGM Buying Cosmo, The big Blue Silo loses its hotel partner, Resorts world shuffles its management staff, Las Vegas International Airport to be renamed for a racists senator. And more opinions, thoughts and commentary!

71 years on Route 66, a (very) unique perspective Last week, may 5,2021 I traveled historic route 66 to Seligman AZ, and sat down to talk with Mauricio Perez the son-in-law of the guardian angel of route 66, Angel Delgadillo. On that date, 71 years ago, Angel opened his pool hall and barber shop and has been a fixture on that famous piece of highway ever since. He later created the Historic Route 66 Association in order to save this now-famous highway! I got the unique opportunity to sit down and have an unfiltered conversation with his son in law about what it is like to be part of the family business, about living and working on the most famous piece of asphalt in the world, and we even drifted into talking about angels philosophy about life, love and the pursuit of happiness…

yes, episode #302. Almost a weekly thing now!! This week getting a little more adventurous.

Welcome back to the podcast. A lot has happened in the last few weeks. The Pinball Hall of Fame makes a plea for some help and gets it. Seigfried of Sigfried and Roy passed away Sheldon Adelson Passed away.

Yes, The Vegas Tourist Podcast has returned. This time with a new format. So I started with a new number. #300. Today Mark Anthony, The Vegas Tourist discusses the changes, the new format and talks about what His predictions were for the new year and Las Vegas tourism. as well as why Las Vegas may be done but it is not out. Talking about what may be the future of Las Vegas. What it will focus on in its comeback after the pandemic.

This is not welcoming YOU Back to Las Vegas! No! This one is on the opening of Las Vegas!!! Yes, Vegas is starting to show serious signs of coming back to life!! Crime in Las Vegas? is it really as bad as the news makes it seem? Not really. But it is the media and they like to focus on las Vegas!! Crime is up 4%. Average for a city of almost 3 million people. We just don't have the crowds or the staff like we had before the pandemic shutdown. Fewer people, more things to see. The New Circa resort is getting ready to open in Downtown Las Vegas! The first new building resort in Downtown since 1980. Adults Only! Big Elvis returns to the Strip. That means life is coming back to the Strip!

For my wife's birthday, I decided to surprise her with a two-night stay at the Cosmopolitan in a one-bedroom terrace suite with a view of the Bellagio Fountains. We were on the fortieth floor and it was an awesome view. here are the details and thoughts on our little adventure! Being locals, we don't really have a need to stay down on the Strip too often and with the eCovid scam going on, we needed to stay local for her birthday, so a little "Staycation" was what we had. Stay Local but act like a real vacation!

Welcome Back! Today Mark is joined by his wonderful wife Debbie as they talk about their latest adventure: A photoshoot over the Las Vegas Strip and Downtown in a Maverick Helicopter. Checking out the changes, seeing the hotels, the attractions, and experiences from above. We were invited on this shoot with good friend and Professional Las Vegas photographer Tom Donoghue who needed to get updated shots of the newest hotels - The Circa in Downtown Las Vegas, the Resorts World on the Las Vegas Strip and of course, The new $2 billion Allegiant Stadium. Thank You Tom Donoghue for the invite and thank you to Maverick Helicopter and our pilot Mark Kennedy for the opportunity to experience your wonderful hospitality!

Today Mark is joined by long time friend and The Vegas Tourist supporter, Marty McIntosh. Having Marty back on board, who knees where the show will go! We get caught up on Marty's plan to return to Las Vegas as well get deep and dirty into the Las vegas lockdown by our out of control governor. Why Las Vegas doesn't work like a light switch as some seem it should. Mark goes off on an unexpected promotion for some pretzels from North Dakota!

In this episode of Mondays with Mark - The Vegas Tourist Podcast, Las Vegas plays host to the 2020 NFL Draft in April. How will that work out? How will the NFL's bully mentality mesh with the reality of the Las Vegas market? Will the NFL be wise and go along to get along and to sit back, let us run the show while they cash the checks? It works for the NHL.

The Vegas Tourist Podcast is back in action and we are meaning to stay in action!! Mark Anthony returns with his beloved other half (Miss Debbie) for the first episode of the new year. Bringing good tidings, and good cheer to all dare to listen. With them comes good news on the future of Las Vegas and the future of this Podcast! We know, it has been a while and we know Vegas has changed. That's the reason for us returning to the podcast world! We think Vegas has changed for the better (we hope) and we want to be there for a front-row seat. Talking about it all with you! Word of Warning: It's been a while and I'm a little rusty on the controls here. So give me some slack on the audio edits and controls. Ok??

Welcome to another podcast and this one will start a new direction for the long-running podcast. After hearing comments from the listeners over the years, every time I seem to have drifted off course, you said you liked the more focused podcats where we talk about Las Vegas and some of the highlights. As well, many of you said you liked the shorter versions. I agree. They are more timely, they can be more informative for the Vegas Tourist or those who just want to keep tabs on what’s all going on here. Throw in an occasional interview or guest and of course, my always unbiased (cough-cough) opinions. Mix that in and call it Mondays with Mark. Click Here for the YouTube companion for those who want the visuals!

This past weekend the little town that built a dam, that would be Boulder City, Nevada, held its 15th annual Dam Short Film Festival. That’s right. Boulder City, that tiny town 30 minutes outside of Las Vegas, has a film festival that also ranks as one of the top film festivals in the world! I know, I was shocked as well. Before it all got going, I had some time to talk with a wonderful lady named Fetalina. Short for Tsvetalina Stefanova. She is the director of development for the Dam Short Film Festival. The interview was held inside the historic Boulder Theater. This building was built in 1931 and for many years, this was the ONLY building around that had that new-fangled thing called air conditioning! It is now owned by Desi Arnez Jr. He is the son of legendary comedian and tv star Lucille Ball. Yes, that Desi Arnaz Jr. Here is my interview with Fetilina and the Dam Short Film Festival!

We are back for the new year!! Yes, A New Year and a New Podcast! My wife Debbie Anthony joins me as we talk about a few “Vegas” things before digging into our recent weekend away, out of town. Being the start of a new year, that means I went to the biggest convention of them all, CES 2019. Saw a lot of cool, if not scary technology and gadgets coming out this year! We are no longer talking science fiction here folks. Not even talking about what may be available later this year. This was all about what we have on the market now or in the next 60 to 90 days and it’s exciting as much as it is frightening! The Big Weekend On the weekend of the “big fight” Manny Pacquiao vs. Adrien Broner, where rooms at Circus Circus were selling for $250 a night! Thanks to a tip by our photo friend, Garrett Winslow, we instead headed north. To Hurricane, Utah for the 5th Annual Winter 4×4 Jamboree in Hurrican, UT This was a last-minute idea and one we never encountered before. Being relatively new Jeep owners, it was great to get away from Las Vegas and head out to the rocky wilderness of Utah. I can now say I am no longer a Jeep newbie as we joined over 600 other off-road enthusiasts at Sand Hollow State Park just outside St George, Utah. A short, 2-hour drive from Las Vegas, in the shadow of beautiful Zion National Park. There, we communed with nature while experiencing and witnessing some Jeep and off-road adventures with others who were not only uber-friendly to newbies like us, but they were true adventure seekers!

Recently, I had an opportunity to take a small group of people on a special tour to the Grand Canyon National Park North Rim, Bryce Canyon, and finally Zion National Park. Here is my trip report from the North Rim. The other voice you hear on this podcast is my beautiful and wonderful wife, Miss Debbie! We do start the podcast with little highlights from some recent Death Valley Tours. Yes, I know. They have to be crazy to want to go to Death Valley in the summer. I think it’s for some kind of honor badge or something. But I have done more Death Valley Tours in the last six weeks than I have done all year. Kind of unusual, but I love Death Valley, so I went along with it….

In this episode, I talk with Mike Nelson, the author of a book titled “We Are Going In” A book about the June 30, 1956, midair collision between a United DC 7 and a TWA Constellation over the Grand Canyon. Mike’s uncle was one of the victims of the Grand Canyon plane crash. A devastating crash that helped change the way we fly today. Last year I came across Mike’s book while on tour to the Grand Canyon. The following day he was going to do a presentation. I was unable to make it back up for that so I sent him an email asking questions and getting some nice replies. I ordered the book and almost immediately devoured it. Mike’s book "We Are Going In” walks us through the entire flight from start to finish and then on to the rescue and recovery. He puts us in the aircraft(s) and we meet some of the people on the doomed flights. Then he takes us for a look at how air travel was like back then. The grandeur of it as well as the danger, open skies and how the planes communicated and were tracked or not tracked. As compared to today’s world of aviation where every moment of the flight is tracked. He talks about the different theories that have been created about what might have happened and why. Looking at them from an outsider’s point of view. I call it the “Twilight Zone” method of description. Stopping in a moment of time and examining the surroundings and explaining the theories as we also look at the location and what was all going on or should be going on. As if we stopped time for a moment and looked into the windows of the planes to see what everyone was doing. I found that to be a fascinating way to look at this tragedy. I hope you do too!

The Las Vegas Sands Corporation, the owners of the beautiful Palazzo and the Venetian Resorts in Las Vegas and Macau, China, has a unique program to help their staff members help guests who may have a problem with their gambling. Its called Responsible Gaming Ambassadors On this podcast, I talk with Maria-Christina Annaloro, director of Government Relations and Social Sciences at Las Vegas Sands.

Welcome back! Mark and Debbie dig into the always amazing Vegas Golden Knights and PBR's Last Cowboy Standing event. Then we switch gears and talk about our date night out to see legendary Las Vegas icon Wayne Newton and His new show on the Las Vegas Strip. It's all good folks!

This week, we went to see the new show "Tape Face" at Harrah's. We weren't really expecting much after seeing a few clips of him on YouTube. However, never judge a Vegas headliner by His tv appearances!! We came out with mouths sore from laughing so hard. Plus Debbie and Mark went up to see the concrete arrow on Easter Sunday! Yes, real concrete arrows were where we went searching for.