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!

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!

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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!

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!

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

With the passage of the 18th Amendment and the Federal Volstead Act, liquor was, by and large, made illegal across the United States starting in 1920 – including in the tiny newly-formed desert town of Las Vegas.

This immediately created a lucrative black market for the illicit sale of alcohol, and along with it came an explosion of violent crime as competing rackets fought for control of this new underground market.k h

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!

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

In the spring of 1980, headlines across the united states screamed out, “ANGEL OF DEATH!”

These sensational stories centered around 32-year-old Jani Adams, a nurse working the graveyard shift in a Las Vegas Intensive Care Unit. These articles about the so-called “Death Angel” carried a distinctly Vegas twist – word was, this nurse was running a hospital “dead pool”, placing wagers on when patients would die.

But how did a mild-mannered nurse - who described herself being “shy as a mouse” - end up in the national spotlight for allegedly murdering her patients?

Click here to read more about the case of Jani Adams - including photos, newspaper articles, and more!

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!

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

The trial surrounding the 1998 alleged murder of a casino heir was one of the most sensational cases in Las Vegas history, garnering national attention.

But decades before tales of jilted lovers, underground vaults in the desert, and a man rapidly squandering his wealth on a wild lifestyle, Ted Binion was at the center of another Las Vegas crime plot.

Click here to learn more about the planned kidnapping of Ted Binion and the wild events that followed - including newspaper articles, photos and more!

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!

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

In the spring of 1996, a trio of bodies were discovered in the desert just outside of Las Vegas. Initially believed to be victims of sex trafficking, the case remained unsolved for over a decade, demonstrating a troubling proposition:

Three people can be murdered in a major American city, with little more than a passing mention in the local press and zero potential suspects.

Click here to learn more about the triple-murder of Luz Maria Mucino, Edith Mucino Gonzalez, and Gabriela Mucino Gonzalez - including newspaper articles, photos, and more!

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!

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

It's one of the most high-profile murders in the history of Las Vegas.

On a scorching hot 115 degree summer day, a former FBI agent & prominent attorney left his office in downtown Las Vegas and made his way to the third floor parking garage.

Bill Coulthard climbed into his car, cracked the window, started the ignition, and THAT'S when it happened...

Click here to learn more about the murder of Bill Coulthard - including newspaper articles, photos, and more!

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!