How a downtown casino’s podcast gives audiences their ‘Vegas fix’

You might not expect a podcast sponsored by and recorded at a downtown Las Vegas casino to eagerly discuss problem gambling. But few Vegas-related topics are off-limits on Plaza CEO Jonathan Jossel’s show, and that’s the point of the podcast.

“Even the subject today is something that most people probably would shy away from but we’re going to talk about it because it’s a part of the industry,” Jossel said.

Plaza’s “On the Corner of Main Street” podcast offers a unique glimpse into the Las Vegas hospitality and gaming scene through conversations and storytelling from notable names in the industry. Hosted by Jossel and Vice President of Operations Gary Vickery, the two most often invite a guest for a roughly 45-minute recording.

It started in February 2020 as a creative way to reach customers through social media and the virtual world, Jossel said. The first episodes “were a mess,” he joked.

Now more than 130 episodes later, the bi-weekly podcast has a solid rhythm of news items, inside jokes and vintage Vegas nostalgia – “the good years, meaning when the mob ran it?” – that draw thousands of listeners craving more from the destination.

Answering a ‘Vegas fix’

The Plaza had only published four episodes of the podcast when Nevada shut down during the early COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, and Jossel said audiences craved new information about the industry’s response.

“We quickly realized that people were desperate for a Vegas fix,” Jossel said. “They still wanted to hear about what was happening. They still wanted to stay in touch.”

Vickery and Jossel record their episodes themselves at Oscar’s Steakhouse. With little set up beyond the microphones, recorder and sometimes a branded backdrop, they’ll launch into a conversation with their guest. They prepare talking points on the episode subject, but little is scripted. Less is edited out.

“It’s important to me that it’s not an interview,” Jossel said. “I’m not an interviewer. We want to make these conversations, and so we want to have guests where I can feel like, between me and Gary, we can have a conversation about what it is they do and how it’s relevant.”

In an era with fewer casino bosses and more corporate leadership, Jossel said he strives to be authentic because it’s the key to online success. Guests have spoken on the show about the inaugural Formula One Grand Prix’s impact on downtown business, how the mob influenced Las Vegas and the future of downtown development.

The property doesn’t monetize the podcast. Instead, Plaza leadership sees it as a form of word-of-mouth marketing.

“I think we have seen a great reaction to this and built a good audience because we’re not afraid to market other properties, we’re not afraid to market other events,” he said. “We will have a competitor on the podcast to talk about what they’re doing. We try to be as open and honest as we can, give people insight into things they would never hear otherwise.

Conversations and authenticity

Jossel attributed the podcast’s success to the conversations he has with guests. The hosts invited range from the big names in Vegas business and politics – like neighboring casino owner Derek Stevens and the steakhouse’s namesake, former mayor Oscar Goodman – to big names online, like content creators Vegas Matt and Vital Vegas.

But the guest name isn’t always the thing that draws in listeners. Jossel affectionately said the typical listener is often a “Vegas nerd” who loves to learn about niche topics like manufacturing and Vegas history. A top-listened episode, according to the hosts? Interview with a slot manufacturer. A weaker one? Rapper Flavor Flav’s appearance.

“It’s funny because a lot of people say you need to get people with bigger social media followings (on) to grow the podcast. But a lot of our best listened episodes are just really random, historical episodes, very niche gaming things – more tech-driven, gaming manufacturers – that’s been our most listened to. I think it’s our audience. This isn’t an insult – it’s (a) Vegas nerd, loves the industry, loves the history.”

On a recent Wednesday, Jossel and Vickery sat at the center of Oscar’s Steakhouse, recording at a table that usually has dinner plates instead of microphones. They spoke with Stephanie Goodman, the executive director of the Dr. Robert Hunter International Problem Gambling Center and a former chief of staff for Oscar Goodman.

The subject matter didn’t take away from the positive rapport between the hosts and guests. When the hosts tried to turn a joking moment into a serious one, Stephanie Goodman welcomed their levity.

“This is a happy podcast because we’re letting people know if something’s wrong, you’ve got the best place in the country to get help,” she said.

Plans for the show’s future are undefined. Jossel and Vickery have considered a range of future steps, from ending the show to following podcasting trends of posting a video version as well. For now, Jossel said it’s expected to continue on the traditional podcast streaming spots of Spotify and Apple Podcasts, as well as an audio-only post on YouTube and the Plaza’s own website.

”We want to promote the area, and I think that’s why we’re going to continue to do it, keep finding guests and as downtown’s changing so much, we’ll have guests lined up in a couple months or two,” he said. “As long as we can keep getting great stories, new developments and share those stories, I think we’ll keep doing it.”

Contact McKenna Ross at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on X.