City Cast Las Vegas logo
July 9, 2024

Will Animal Shows Ever Be the Same After the Mirage?

City Cast Las Vegas

Will Animal Shows Ever Be the Same After the Mirage?

00:00:00
View all City Cast Las Vegas episodes

The Mirage Hotel and Casino closes its doors for good on July 17th — so what’s happening to all of the animals that helped create this tropical fantasy paradise? Where did the dolphins and Siegfried and Roy’s tigers end up? Today, co-host Sarah Lohman talks with University of Guelph history professor Susan Nance, who studies the history of animal entertainment on the Las Vegas Strip. She tells us how the Mirage kicked off an era of truly spectacular big animal shows — and why that era is coming to a close.

Learn more about the sponsors of this July 9th episode here: Babbel

Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719.

For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Hey Las Vegas

Stay connected to City Cast Las Vegas and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Latest Episodes

See all
May 19

Another 10 Years of Formula 1 in Vegas? Plus, Destructive Winds and a Report Card on All-Inclusive Hotel Deals

Formula 1 could be calling Las Vegas home through 2037, but is a decade-long commitment actually good for locals and small businesses? Pl...

City Cast Las Vegas podcast episode art
May 18

Does Las Vegas Need a Second Arts District?

The Arts District is thriving — maybe too much. Parking headaches, noise complaints and a valley that keeps growing have us asking: does...

City Cast Las Vegas podcast episode art
May 17

'Your City Could Be Better': Do DC’s Hated Traffic Cameras Really Make the City Safer? — Presented By City Cast Las Vegas

Would Las Vegas be safer if there were more automated traffic cameras? In 2025, Washington, DC, brought in nearly $270 million from more...

City Cast Las Vegas podcast episode art
May 15

A Grocery Store Shooting Stuns the City, a Gas Tax Holiday for No One, and Vegas Spends $25K on Influencers

The suburban southeast of Las Vegas was stunned early this week after a gunman shot and killed his ex-wife and her husband at an area gro...

City Cast Las Vegas podcast episode art
May 14

Drug Use at EDC and What's Being Done to Solve It

Thousands upon thousands of lightly-dressed partiers will descend on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend for EDC. But as they head...

City Cast Las Vegas podcast episode art
May 13

Grassroots Gubernatorial Candidate Alexis Hill’s Vision for Nevada

Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill is running for Nevada governor as a self-described grassroots candidate challenging the Democratic...

City Cast Las Vegas podcast episode art
May 12

Teens Shut Down Foodie Fest, an Immersive Filipino Feast, and Is Vegas Good For Jobseekers?

Teens shut down the Great American Foodie Fest after brawls forced organizers to close early for the first time in 14 years — so what wen...

City Cast Las Vegas podcast episode art
May 11

2025 Was an Awful Year for the Strip. Will 2026 Be Any Better?

Last year, the Las Vegas Strip had its worst tourism year since the pandemic, with a visitation falloff supercharged by steep declines in...

City Cast Las Vegas podcast episode art
May 10

'Your City Could Be Better': Philly's Bold Nightlife Experiment — Presented By City Cast Las Vegas

Las Vegans, would your city be better if the bars stayed open later? This summer, Philadelphia is anticipating a record-breaking number o...

City Cast Las Vegas podcast episode art
May 8

Sinking Homes in Lake Las Vegas, a Plan to Boost Summer Tourism, and the Huntridge Theater's Hail Mary

Nearly 90 homes in Lake Las Vegas are sinking — raising big questions about whether the development was a mistake and if builders are pri...

City Cast Las Vegas podcast episode art