About Us

Who are we? Well, in terms of sheer obfuscation, who aren’t we?

More specifically, though, we are lovers of all things Las Vegas. We love the casinos, the restaurants, the shows and even Criss Angel. Well, OK, we love the casinos, the restaurants and shows.

We should say this, up front: As of March 3, 2014, our day job is that of Interactive Marketing Manager for the Fremont Street Experience. Fremont Street Experience serves as the marketing umbrella for a group of casinos including The D Las Vegas, Fremont, California, Main Street, Four Queens, Binion’s, Golden Gate and Golden Nugget.

That said, our opinions are completely our own. We loved downtown Las Vegas before we got the gig, and we continue to love it now.

We’re here to give you the essential news and information you need to get the most from your next Las Vegas visit, all with a slightly skewed, and often highly-intoxicated, perspective.

We were going to write a mission statement, but it sounded too much like having a job, so we made this instead.

We were going to write a mission statement, but it sounded too much like having a job, so we made this instead.

We know people. We dig things up. We lampoon when required. We’re so inside, we’re concave.

One of the most baffling things about us is we’re just one person, Scott Roeben, although we speak about ourselves in the first person plural. Drop us a line at [email protected].

We’ve been in Las Vegas for more than a decade, and once created words for one of the world’s most recognized Web sites, LasVegas.com.

From there, we went on to write the blog for Caesars Entertainment, the world’s largest gaming company, including a number of Las Vegas resorts. The blog was named the “Best Blog” in the country in PR Daily’s 2012 Digital PR and Social Media Awards. We were named the most valuable blogger/blog in Las Vegas in 2011 by CBS Las Vegas, and were an editor’s choice for Best Blog in the Trippies Awards in 2010. “Essential.” We liked the sound of that.

Given our love of Las Vegas, though, it was just a matter of time before we started a site devoted to the entire city. The Strip. Downtown. All of it. Well, maybe not the nightclubs so much. We don’t really get those.

We were recently honored to be named “Best Blog” in the 2013 Las Vegas Digital Media Awards, presented by the Las Vegas Interactive Marketing Association.

Las Vegas Digital Media Award

Hey, beautiful.

We were also named the “Best Las Vegas Blog” in the 2014 Trippies Awards, hosted by VegasTripping.com.

Hear some rambling insights into what VitalVegas.com is all about in this riveting radio interview.

Here’s the thing about VitalVegas.com, though. What’s vital is hearing from you, and creating a place where the community of people who love Las Vegas can chat each other up, answer questions and share tips and snarky comments about Criss Angel. So, please comment. Share our posts and pictures if you enjoy them. (If you don’t, keep it to yourself.)  Post thoughts and questions. Tell us about your trip. Your discoveries. Your disappointments. Your sexcapades.

Thanks for visiting, and we hope you’ll be back.

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  • Dustinofholland

    Why is it that all Vegas bloggers (except maybe Chuckmonster) use the first person plural? It’s like a giant mass of pronoun reference error, it’s annoying, and it needs to stop. Thanks for listening.

    • vitalvegas

      Valid point and appreciate hearing it! We use it because saying “I” all the time sounds weird to our ear. We also think it’s funnier when it’s one person but they say “we.” Here, it’s done tongue-in-cheek–not sure why others do it, other than possibly it sounds like there are more people involved than there really are, which is certainly the case here. Also, this site has been live for about a week, so we haven’t sorted all that out yet. Old habits die hard. Appreciate your thoughts, though. Hope it’s not too distracting.

  • tommeny

    is there an rss feed?

  • Jessalynn Strauss

    Ah ha! I thought I recognized your writing style from the Pulse of Vegas blog. I love that one and am looking forward to reading this one, too. (I’m not just blowing smoke – I use it frequently as an example in the PR classes I teach.) I have my own blog about Vegas, askdrvegas.com. It’s been, um, sleeping for a while as I’ve been switching jobs and moving my whole life around, but I plan to pick it up again in the next few weeks. Would love to hear what you think!

    • Scott Roeben

      Very flattering, thanks, Jessalynn! It’s only a little scary knowing our work is influencing young minds. We’ll definitely take a look at your blog, and thanks for the kind words.

  • Kevin Goodspeed

    Can you do a piece on best places to catch live music on the strip and downtown? I’m looking for a place to grab a drink, relax, and watch some talent without paying $150 for a show.

    • vitalvegas

      Great idea! We’ll keep that in the editorial mix. Fremont Street is always a great, free option. Picnic at Downtown Grand has started having live bands, too. Might try Brooklyn Bowl for bands, their schedule is full!

  • Mike V

    Hello,

    Ive been realy curious about a tour I attended about a year ago at Elara.
    The rooms that we were shown were completely different than what I’ve seen there
    before. Deep purples and grays, different headboards, furniture, hallways, etc.
    (kinda Cosmopolitan-ish). This is one of my favorite hotels to stay at because
    the rooms are nice, large and close to the strip. I have been trying to find more info on these new rooms but cannot find anything online. I’ve stayed twice since the tour
    and although the lobby has received a big face-lift, I keep getting booked into the same red Planet Hollywood themed rooms (they’re nice but the other rooms I saw were much nicer). Anyway.. I found this interesting and would like to find out
    more. Hopefully it is something you would be interested in looking into as well.
    😉

    • vitalvegas

      That is interesting. We’ll keep our eyes peeled for any information about that.

    • Kevin McShane

      The Elara is slowly remodeling all their rooms from when the Westgate was majority owner. Needless to tell the new Westgate (old Hiltion LVH) is buying all their old furniture back and putting them in Westgate again. However, I do have list of floors that have been remodeled at the Elara. A majority of the Elara rooms are still the red black decor you’re use too.

  • John

    Can’t read your new content with the multi colour background. Words get lost in the colours on my iPad.

    • Can’t seem to replicate that, John, sorry. The center content areas actually have a white background.

  • Kevin McShane

    First I’ve have been reading your blog for about a year and I really enjoy
    it. You do a great job. I’m sure you have seen that the VegasChatter
    folks are all but done on Friday the 31st; Which to me is quite sad.
    I’m not a writer (I’m sure you can tell by now) but, just a big fan of
    all the work you guys do by providing us with the Vegas411 (which is a
    cool site name).
    So comes the purpose of this email…. if you ever run a paid membership
    to read your blog I would love to commit to something like that to keep
    it going. Also a source of revenue for your site could be the Amazon
    affiliate program offered to small business. Visitors click the link on
    your site and you receive a 8% commission on anything bought through
    your site. I use Amazon a lot and I make sure to click links of my
    favorite small business so they receive advertisement commission.
    Thanks again for all the hard work you provide. I really enjoy everything on your site.

    • Thanks so much for your kind words!

      • Cmurder

        Not sure you’ll see this but I was a dedicated daily VegasChatter reader, so I was very bummed to be suddenly be cut off from my favorite Vegas site “cold turkey”. I have been aware of VitalVegas for over a year and have occasionally visited your page if Chatter wasn’t covering something I was looking for. The main reason Chatter was my first choice was two-fold: 1) they seemed to discuss “future Vegas/construction updates” topics more often (my favorite category) and 2) they seemed to update their blog more frequently and had more stories on a daily/weekly basis. Now that VitalVegas is my only reliable source for Vegas news, I thought I’d put in my two cents on what made VegasChatter my first choice and hope some of what I said will resonate here as I am now a daily follower of Vital Vegas.

        • Hi, and thanks for your note. I read all the comments on my blog and try to respond to all of them as well. Also bummed about Vegas Chatter, and pleased folks are giving my site a look. Appreciate hearing your thoughts, and hope you’ll visit from time to time, but this definitely isn’t that. This site is a hobby and a labor of love. I sort of post when I can, but often opt to drink or gamble instead. It’s one of the great things about it being a hobby! I can’t possible keep up with the quantity of material Vegas Chatter put out. I’m happy just doing stuff and taking pictures and sharing them. Hopefully, we’ll be part of your Vegas site routine, though. Combined, all the sites and blogs in Vegas can cover a lot of ground, although nobody’s going to replace Vegas Chatter anytime soon.

  • Hnt

    Yes we need a Rss feed

  • Benjamin Brown

    I was on Freemont street on Tuesday and they were filming something in 2 spots. One was on the street between the Nugget and 4 queens and later on Freemont street. They had the road closed from Las Vegas Blvd down to the El Cortez and on that shoot they had 2 folks riding horses don the middle of the street. (I noticed that after I took my friend to the container park and scared the sh** out of him with the fire breathing preying mantis) Any idea what they were filming?

    • Scott Roeben

      Good eye, Benjamin! They’re shooting “The Player,” a new show with Wesley Snipes. The show has been picked up, and they expect to shoot downtown often.

    • Good eye, Benjamin! They’re shooting “The Player,” a new show with Wesley Snipes. The show has been picked up, and they expect to shoot downtown often.

  • Troy Swezey

    How about a review of the new hypnosis show, Hypnosis Unleashed, at Binions?

    • Keep meaning to see it. I’ve heard it’s pretty good, on par with other comedy-hypnosis shows in town–although it would be hard to beat Anthony Cools. Raunchy and very funny.

  • Jennifer Field

    Hey Scott! I wanted to see if you would be open to guest blogging?

    • Happy to discuss! Please send more details to scott(@)vitalvegas.com. Thanks for asking!

  • Maurice Lauzier

    My wife is a horny and sexy 70 year old. Would she qualify as a professional whore at one of the brothels. //////////////////////////////we woud be ready to relocate.

    • Lovely, and congrats. Definitely contact the brothels. They accept applications via their Web site.

  • Corey Levitan

    Are these comments real? I feel like they’re either fake or written by friends of yours.

  • Shane Sparky

    Any idea how the parking fees work at MGM resort hotels? In/outs allowed? Can you stay at MGM and pay parking and use Mirage parking lot, or pay again? Thanks for this blog, keeps me connected to Vegas!

  • Kevin Mann

    Any update on the fashion show mall front remodel?

  • Angel

    Does anyone really know what is going to happened with the Harley Davidson cafe? I am a member of Tacos El Gordo and I think the owner will like to put the restaurant there,if The Harley Davidson cafe decides to leave. Can anyone let me know. Thank You

  • Andrew G

    Dear God (i.e Scott Roeben) Why Oh Why has Cheeseburger Las Vegas in the Miracle Mile closed?

    • Michael at Vegas Bright says he was told the rent was jacked up. If it was doing well, that probably wouldn’t matter too much, but if they were on the fence, that probably sealed its fate.

    • Coop

      I loved my island cheeseburger. 2 napkins please!!. always good! Lost this and BLT in the same couple months!

  • Bill B

    As you guys work with the FSE do you know when the street surface will be repaired & brought up to it’s former glory/condition?
    Since the Zip line monstrosity was built, the street surface, especially near the GG is wrecked.
    Years ago Fremont was special, gold & silver coloured flecked pavement that was repaired regularly & always spotless during the day, Now, in places, it looks, well, tatty.
    Any ideas? We love downtown & want it to look as good as it did.

    • They’re working on the surfacing (you can see tests near the SlotZilla tower), but no timeline on when the whole thing will take off. Even when it starts, it’ll be months doing the work, so it’s awhile off.

  • Jim Johnson

    Hi gang, Am I wrong or is downtown being gentrified (to a degree ?). Since the under 30’s don’t spend time or money in the casinos….and now we LV vets have to pick up the slack by paying for parking and possibly soon drinks…..could we be downsizing to Fremont St. I’m over 70 and the walking around the strip is more of a chore. So having all the stripness within 4 blocks fits better ?

    • Yeah, there’s a lot that’s changing about downtown, but ultimately, it’s still the grittier option with better value. The Strip is just a different experience.

  • Jim Johnson

    I really like boobs…not so much gigantic butts. Many examples of these can be seen, really seen, on Fremont St. Am I getting too curmudgeonly, or do the exposees of the aforementioned naughty bits need to be reeled in a bit ?

    • Yeah, I’m a big fan of pretty much all body parts, but have issues with the amount of skin being shown on Fremont. There are a lot of aspects of the street “performers” that are detrimental to the destination.