Welcome to the Vegas Strawn Revival Podcast, where the heart of Las Vegas beats through hospitality, community, and resilience beyond the strip. We're calling all Vegas residents and local business owners. Get ready to explore the pulse of our community. We aim to uncover the unspoken truths about our local services, venues, and businesses, discussing what's amazing, what needs improvement, and how we can uplift each other to enhance the Vegas Strawn spirit for everyone in town. We appreciate you embarking on this journey with us to We'll be right back. Let the show begin!
SPEAKER_00Warren, that was an incredibly well done introduction. I'm always so impressed by you. Tell me, what are we discussing on our very first episode? I'm so excited.
SPEAKER_02Oh, I'm excited too. Thanks for your lovely little compliments. It's so exciting to be sitting with you. Today, we're discussing the origin and meaning of a very important term, that being Vegas Strong. What misconceptions might exist and why it's relevant today? Naturally, we anticipate a bit of an abnormal vibe to this episode, given the nature of the Vegas-tron topic. Please know we have every intention of providing a certain level of comedic entertainment in future episodes, but it just didn't feel quite appropriate for this particular one.
SPEAKER_00Yes, this certainly isn't our normal vibe, but I'm glad we're discussing these things since they're the driving force of this podcast and so much of what we're doing at Law Critique. What's on the agenda first?
SPEAKER_02Well, Britt, let's explain the origin and the meaning of Vegas strong, as it is our city's motto, for anyone who might not know or fully understand it.
SPEAKER_00Well, let's just jump right on in. Okay. How about you take that first part and explain to our listeners what happened on October 1, 2017?
SPEAKER_02Okay. Well, a tragic event unfolded in our city that changed our lives forever. It was and still is the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history. At the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival. Hosted on grounds near the Mandalay Bay Resort on the Las Vegas Strip, a gunman opened fire from a hotel window raining bullets down on the concert crowd. It was an act of unimaginable horror and devastation. 60 total lives were lost and more than 800 people sustained injuries, with many affected by gunfire, stampedes, or other related incidents during all the chaos. The Scar of that site still linger in our community today. The impact of that night will remain a part of our city's story forever, whether we like it or not. And it's a story of both heartbreak and the unwavering spirit of Las Vegas.
SPEAKER_00It was a really hard time for Las Vegas, Warren. And it took a lot for our city to move past it. Do you know how the term Vegas Strong even emerged?
SPEAKER_02It just started appearing everywhere. I don't know who created it originally, And I'd love to meet the person who did, honestly. It was essentially a rally cry for the city after what happened. We were all so devastated and hurt, grieving, and certainly angry about what happened. I know I was personally, just from my own history as a bellman in this city. I think everyone attached to the term very quickly because it was the only citywide thing bonding us together in hope.
SPEAKER_00I agree. And I would love to meet the person who coined Vegas Strong 2 Britt,
SPEAKER_02how would you summarize what happened after the shooting?
SPEAKER_00In the immediate aftermath of October 1, we saw an outpouring of support from every corner of the city, from blood banks being completely full and having to turn people away, historically, I mean, historically successful fundraisers, billboards and signage just completely plastered all over the city with a heart around the word Vegas Strong. The community truly just came together to support the victims and their families. I mean, I remember car wash companies offering free cleaning services to anyone who transported injured people to hospitals because the vehicles were covered in blood. I mean, kindness, love, and support rang so loud in the months after the shooting. It was monumental in the face of tragedy, we showed the entire world what it meant to be Vegas Strong. And as a native, it was actually the most incredible, beautiful thing, unlike anything I have ever experienced before in this city. To be honest, Vegas Strong has since then evolved way beyond being merely a motto or a rally cry, right? It's an ethos, like a symbol. It's even a legacy and a testament, a beacon, a spirit, a movement, a philosophy, and even kind of to wrap that all together, a culture, right? It's a reminder that even in our toughest moments, we stand together as a community.
SPEAKER_02Amen. Britt, let's address some misconceptions surrounding the term Vegas Strong. Some people probably don't want the term to live on. It's a hard reminder of what happened.
SPEAKER_00Undoubtedly. Let me just say that I get it, right? Like, life has been exceptionally hard for so many Vegas residents. If we just look at the last 15 years, okay, the economic impact of the 2008 recession lingered for nearly a decade in this city. A historic mass shooting that changed our community forever. A freaking pandemic.
SPEAKER_02Really?
SPEAKER_00Like, completely shutting down our city. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. much in such a short amount of time, if you ask me. So yeah, I honestly don't blame people for not wanting to be reminded about October 1 shooting.
SPEAKER_02But Vegas Strong does mean a lot more than just the October 1 shooting, wouldn't you say?
SPEAKER_00Precisely. That's the key point, right? People must understand that Vegas Strong was the culture born out of tragedy, not the tragedy itself.
SPEAKER_02Britt, some of the response from our supporters is that the name of our podcast, The Vegas Strong Revival, has this kind of underlying tone. Like we're suggesting the community isn't strong and doesn't care like they used to. Revival being the key word.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. What are your thoughts on that?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So I'll tell you, I've already offended my best friend by some of the language I've chosen to use in developing Law Critique. She used to be a small business owner here in Vegas, and she was super confident that the level of hospitality and customer service she provided her customers was superior. So when I made the statement that excellent hospitality standards are often centered around the Strip, she took it a little bit harsh. But the important fact I want to make clear right now for anybody listening is that hospitality and customer service standards have decreased significantly around town, specifically off the Strip. And I stand firm so So firm in that statement. But that's not to say that there aren't any local businesses doing it right. It's just that the great ones are less common. And here's another side note, because apparently I like my side notes, guys. I'm very likely to offend all of our listeners at some point or another. But not you, Warren. You won't offend anyone because you're an angel. And the thing is, guys, I'm human. And we all have a right to our opinion and I'm a lot of things, and an imperfect human is definitely one of them. I'm a pretty transparent human too, so I just call it how I see it.
SPEAKER_02I love that. And I love your honesty. I love how direct you often are. I respect your perspective, Britt. And, you know, you have a lot of bravery, truthfully, to discuss and reimagine a pretty difficult topic for so many different people in our valley.
SPEAKER_01Thanks.
SPEAKER_02I gotta say, I love that you're not afraid to speak the truth when it's relevant. No. I think I can speak for both of us when I say our intentions here, ladies and gentlemen, are good.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_02We are just two good people trying to do good things for our community.
SPEAKER_00Yes, we most definitely have good intentions. And sometimes, Warren, you're just better at making critiques more fluffy and nice. I
SPEAKER_02think I'm a pretty easy guy to please. I always want to walk into something looking at the positive notes as opposed to the negative, and I hope that'll be a great thing that we'll balance out each other about.
SPEAKER_00We're a good team that way. I
SPEAKER_02think this transitions us smoothly into explaining a little bit about your company, La Critique, and why your company resonates with the Vegas-drawn philosophy.
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh, where do I even start? La Critique is a growing and evolving new company. company here in Las Vegas. We have officially launched this podcast, obviously. Next month, we officially will be Vegas's first concierge service available only to Vegas residents. And next year, we roll out our critique services where we work directly with local businesses on analyzing and improving their hospitality and customer experience initiatives. This part of the business can best be described as the locals Forbes travel guide, where we audit and rate local businesses Yes. You
SPEAKER_02know, speaking as a hotel concierge for a moment instead of just the host of what we're up to here, let me just add, it's refreshing, honestly, to see the development of a concierge team for the locals of Las Vegas by the locals of Las Vegas. I'm sure your team is excited to serve the community, so to speak, by strengthening connections between our locals and their off-strip experiences. Many of them, like myself, speaking honestly, have only ever been to Las Vegas. So this is an awesome way for them to be part of something bigger and I imagine more meaningful to them.
SPEAKER_00Speaking of that something bigger, I'll finish answering your question of why law critique resonates with the Vegas Strong philosophy. I created this company to serve our community. I created this company to be a leading force that guides our hospitality toward one another. And I've given my entire life to the hospitality industry. So I personally know how demanding and stressful it can be to succeed in meeting superior hospitality standards being a native and experiencing everything I have in this city I also personally know how incredibly talented creative and strong we are so I just want to take that strength and our natural grind mentality that we have and enhance it with more consideration more compassion more authentic hospitality and ultimately I couldn't
SPEAKER_02agree more. If it's one thing I've really learned about Las Vegas hospitality professionals is that so many of them have their passion projects in the background that they drive toward at all times, right? Their chefs, their artists, their musicians, their athletes. There's so many passions amongst us, even as we conduct our hospitality work. And we want to celebrate the people behind the hospitality. Ooh,
SPEAKER_00can I add to that? I would like to say that if you're listening to this podcast and you are a local who loves to produce music, we would love to have you produce something for our podcast intro because using stock music just isn't all that supportive of locals. And we really do want to be supportive of our locals. So reach out if you're one of those people.
SPEAKER_02I couldn't have said it any better myself. Well, listeners, I believe this is the point where we would like to plug a little advertisement. But being our first episode, Britt and I mutually agreed not to advertise at all. Just to say a big thank you to those of you who are taking the time to give us a chance on our first recording. Thank you so much to all of our supporters. Thank you.
SPEAKER_00Yes, thank you, thank you, thank you. As a final segment of our episode today, I want to share some Vegas Strong fails so listeners can get a better understanding of why we want to inspire change. Like our initiatives aren't just based What are
SPEAKER_02you talking about, Britt? Come on, we're a perfect community. We never fail.
SPEAKER_00Okay, okay, okay. I know you prefer talking about the wins, and you'll get your chance next week in the concierge corner. So I'll give a couple examples out of my currently full fail bucket. Ready?
SPEAKER_02Ready as I'll ever be.
SPEAKER_00Oh boy, here we go. Driving on the 95 this last summer, going 80 in the left lane, and a small black car comes flying up behind me. I wasn't even sure that they saw me, right? And I couldn't merge over to the right because there were cars there. So I very lightly tapped on my brakes just to get their attention and like, hello, don't hit me, please. Right,
SPEAKER_01yeah.
SPEAKER_00I swear, guys, I did not do a full-on brake check, okay? I know what that is. And I've done it before, I'm guilty, but I didn't do that this time, right? But this person rides my tail and then blows past me via the HOV lane. Then it cuts me off in front of me and goes to the middle lane. I
SPEAKER_02feel like everybody's dealing with traffic like this these days. We're becoming a little mini LA.
SPEAKER_00Let's not say that. We can't jinx it. This guy slows down to the pace of traffic. I'm thinking this is so weird. Most people, in my experience, they cut you off and they keep speeding forward. They have a goal in mind of getting somewhere right
SPEAKER_01right right
SPEAKER_00they don't just cut you off and then slow down in front of you so i don't know at this point i'm maybe 40 feet behind them and i'm nervous to to pass them because it was like just so abrupt and i'm questioning why they decided to slow down but i continue at my same pace like i don't deviate
SPEAKER_01okay
SPEAKER_00and then they start slowing down getting closer Yeah. The driver's side window rolls down. Warren.
SPEAKER_02No.
SPEAKER_00I cannot make this up. They throw rocks out at my windshield.
SPEAKER_02Wait, what the hell?
SPEAKER_00I'm not kidding.
SPEAKER_02You can't make that up. Where do they get? Why do you have rocks in your car? I
SPEAKER_00know.
SPEAKER_02How is this constructive?
SPEAKER_00So insane. Warren, who has rocks in their car, first of all. Yeah. And then to be so vindictive. right like dude I only tapped on my brakes tapped on them sure and and you're gonna throw rocks at my windshield
SPEAKER_02the I feel like they make contact you you shatter a windshield there's a panic attack you yourself get into a car accident there's potential like vehicular manslaughter at play here like what is the constructive thought that goes through one's head to do this it's so disappointing to know that that happened I can't even imagine
SPEAKER_00I have been driving on these roads for Oh gosh, I don't even want to say it out loud. Over 20 years.
SPEAKER_01Oh gosh,
SPEAKER_00that's a sad realization. Yeah, it's never been like this.
SPEAKER_02I agree. It's an absolute Vegas-strung fail, folks. Can we have each other's backs on the roadways especially? We all want to get to work. We all want to make our paper. We all want to fill our objectives. Can we please do it safely and respect one another? Now I'm definitely scared to hear another example.
SPEAKER_00Okay, yeah, well, I told you my bucket was full. Yeah, so our city's a little wild right now. And I guess since dining out is relatable for everybody, I'll use that category. Side note, even though I do have very specific venues in mind for these examples, I will never feel okay, like ethically, to name drop a venue in a negative way on here. So sorry, all you gossip lovers, you will have to find your Moving along. Okay. So here are some issues that I've repeatedly experienced at restaurants in town recently. Not on this trip. Okay?
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_00Upon arrival to a restaurant, the hostess's first words are, do you have a reservation?
SPEAKER_02Right. Not a welcome. Not a how are you? Oh,
SPEAKER_00God. Great to
SPEAKER_02see you. I'm sure that there was no smile or eye contact either. You know, it's almost like- Don't get me started. An inconvenience that you chose to walk through the door.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Yeah. And nine times out of 10, actually 10 out of 10 times, I don't have a
SPEAKER_02reservation. Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, no. Next, when I'm seated, a server immediately approaches and asks, what can I get you to drink?
SPEAKER_02Oh, I totally vibe with this. Again, just with the greeting, can we start with a good afternoon, good morning, or good evening? Can I introduce myself? You know, how are you? Let's have a moment of connection before jumping right into business as usual, right?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Like, I've been here all of 2.5 seconds. I have no idea yet what I want to drink.
SPEAKER_02Right. You just handed me the menu, by the way, right? Yeah. This is where I first see all my options. It makes total sense. It's so frustrating when that's your opening line.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Okay. Moving along. Okay. Food arrives, right? And it's not the temperature that it should be, or it has a small piece of plastic or hair in
SPEAKER_02it. Oh, God. Yeah. I can totally relate to this, too. I went to a local burrito restaurant. restaurant recently and came back with a hair in my burrito and I feel like I've had that happen a few times in the last couple years it is really a pattern and it's so gross I mean I have a huge full beard I would wear a beard net if I needed to to take good care of my customers food I wonder if there are people out there doing that too
SPEAKER_00I I'm beyond myself Warren
SPEAKER_02I mean hair no hairs and food is like like food preparation 101 so of course you are
SPEAKER_00the plastic was really shocking. Where did you find
SPEAKER_02that? I have to know.
SPEAKER_00No, I can't tell you where I found
SPEAKER_02that. Oh God, but in like a bowl of chili, I mean.
SPEAKER_00I'll tell you off air.
SPEAKER_02Gross. I have to know because I'm not going.
SPEAKER_00Okay, my favorite. My favorite. Ready? I go out and I'm catching up with an old friend and we sit at the table for an extra like hour to even two hours after we're done eating.
SPEAKER_01And
SPEAKER_00the plates are never cleared, nor is our water ever refilled the entire time we're sitting there. It's like we paid our check and the service disappeared.
SPEAKER_02Right. You're off the radar. You're no longer a priority. You've tipped what you're going to tip. You've given what you're going to give. You're not going to order anything else unless we go out of our way to let them know of that. And it's like, hey, we're still here. We're still a guest of yours. Please don't just drop acknowledging us, especially filling water. I mean, I know the desert's running out of it, but we're thirsty.
SPEAKER_00What a lost opportunity for the business too. I'm there for two hours past paying my bill. The server at any point couldn't come up and try to sell us another beverage. Are you kidding me?
SPEAKER_02Honestly, I often feel quite touched when someone comes over in that scenario to offer it because it's just anticipatory service. You've still been here for a while. Can I get you anything else? It doesn't even have to feel like a sale. It feels like caring about someone.
SPEAKER_00Precisely. So here's my final one.
SPEAKER_02Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_00Business owners are going to love this one. Actually, I mean that very sarcastically, guys. My check is delivered on this awkward electronic device.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yes.
SPEAKER_00And not only is it blinding me in this dark booth, but now I'm doing my server's job by checking myself out.
SPEAKER_02Exactly.
SPEAKER_00Which all of the above frustrates me beyond, like beyond. But now there are like eight steps to completing my bill. When before it was... literally tip total signature.
SPEAKER_02I totally vibe with this because nothing ruins the experience of being served than being asked to serve yourself the check. It's such a strange thing that maybe business owners think that they're using technology to enhance the experience, but honestly, all it's doing is removing us from it even faster. We're losing touch. Right. It's a dismissal. It's got to change. It's got to change. I agree. It's I think you bring up very relevant information here, and I know you're not the only person experiencing these customer service fails because I feel it too. I know there's a community of us who feel it out there. But honestly, we both know the arguments managers make. It's too hard to find good employees. No one wants to work anymore. It's work just to get my employees to do the basic job requirements, let alone go above and beyond. And finally, my favorite, of course, is that COVID changed
SPEAKER_00everything. I love your mimicking. It's so perfect.
SPEAKER_02It's cliche. It's so easy to mimic, folks. We all have the same excuses, it sounds like.
SPEAKER_00I seriously hear those arguments all the time. But I believe it's time that we all take a deep breath and realize we are survivors. We are strong. We can overcome anything. This crazy world... wants to throw at us and we actually can be better about hospitality and upholding service standards because the people who call this place home deserve it.
SPEAKER_02That's especially powerful and I completely agree with you, Brett. I hope if anyone listening missed that part, they rewind 30 seconds and listen again because you do deserve it. You do deserve that service standard. You do deserve to give that to one another too. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00Thanks, Warren. To wrap up this epic first I'm curious if every local were to embrace the Vegas Strong ethos and apply it to their everyday lives, what do you think that might look like?
SPEAKER_02Well, Britt, if everyone embraced the Vegas Strong ethos in their daily lives, I envision a community where hospitality isn't just a job requirement, but actually truly a heartfelt commitment. Picture this, a city where drivers extend courtesy, patience, and respect for each other.
SPEAKER_00Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_02Yes. Can you guess the setting I'm discussing? I
SPEAKER_00think so, but go ahead.
SPEAKER_02To me, it's the Vegas Golden Knights. Yes. It's the T-Mobile Arena.
SPEAKER_01Go Knights Go.
SPEAKER_02Go Knights Go are defending Stanley Cup champions. It's the fortress. I'm sure if you're listening to this, I just got chills remembering how we all rallied among the Vegas Golden Knights, our first professional sports expansion team of major league sports, coming together, being this band of misfit toys from other teams who didn't have faith from those previous teams they played for to become one of the finest teams in the National Hockey League. I mean, we won the Western Conference. We went to the Stanley Cup Final in our very first season. And I think a lot of that had to do with the drive the players held in their hearts, inspired by the events that gave birth to Vegas Strong.
SPEAKER_00Well, it was so connected to the community. Like...
SPEAKER_02We
SPEAKER_00had this horrific tragedy. Our community was completely grieving and mad and frustrated. I almost get a sense like we almost didn't even know what to do with ourselves.
SPEAKER_02Right. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And then the Vegas Knights.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. This team was already created, but we've poured all of our passion and our togetherness and our belief in one another into this team. And they responded with one of the most historic seasons in sports history. And we could be proud of that. No one can take it back. And now, especially right now, as the defending champions, we see the symptoms of a Vegas-drawn community all throughout the Fortress.
SPEAKER_00And you've been to a game, clearly, obviously.
SPEAKER_02Amen. Right? I have.
SPEAKER_00Anybody who hasn't been to a game yet, oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_01Go!
SPEAKER_00You have to experience this, guys.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00It is wild. I think that the Vegas-strong ethos is absolutely Exactly.
SPEAKER_02The fortress philosophy, as I like to call it. And I'd love to see that stretched out. The amount of high-fiving we do with each other in the stands after a goal. Do that to your neighbor when you come home from work. Do that for one another when we patronize each other at our various businesses. Let's be sure to have each other's back. And remember, we're in this together and we can celebrate together every little bit. little victory. It's a beautiful thing. I really would love to see the fortress philosophy saram wrapped around our community.
SPEAKER_00Oh, gosh, that sounds amazing. And that's exactly what I'm talking about, right? Like, I imagine that in any setting around town, simple gestures of kindness, like saying hello to a stranger walking by, introducing ourselves to new people with an actual handshake.
SPEAKER_02Without hand sanitizer to follow soon after, just saying.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, you do you. I don't use hand sanitizer, but a lot of people do and they like it. So whatever. Let them use their hand sanitizer. But a handshake is so customary and it's such a bond. So bringing that back, holding a door open, not just the person who's holding the door, but the person walking through, acknowledge that the other person held the door for them. Oh, totally.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I try to keep chivalry alive and I'll get the door for eight out of 10 people, regardless of the gender space. And it's amazing how many just whisk right on by, not even noticing.
SPEAKER_00No thank you. Yeah. No, hey, cool.
SPEAKER_02So weird.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. It's like this weird silent thing that's happening. I think to add to that, it's just like the simple please and thank yous.
SPEAKER_02Amen.
SPEAKER_00Where did those go? It
SPEAKER_02seems like those things are pretty easy to do, right?
SPEAKER_00Let's elevate the standard of human connection and consideration just in general. Because Vegas Strong isn't just a phrase, but actually a way of life. If each
SPEAKER_02of us adopts this Vegas-drawn philosophy or the fortress philosophy, it's all nice and stretched. I love it. I'm sorry. I want to put it on a t-shirt. It's not just a change in behavior. It's a cultural shift towards a more loving, respectful, and empathetic living environment. And who doesn't want that?
SPEAKER_00Right? But let's not forget, okay? Like this kind of a shift isn't just a one-time thing. It will require effort on a regular basis. change takes time and practice, as we all know, especially if this stuff doesn't come naturally. But that process can totally start right now if you choose it.
SPEAKER_02That's a powerful vision. Britt, I truly believe Vegas Strong will become part of our everyday lives and other cities will actually be jealous of what Vegas community really means.
SPEAKER_00Well, they should be jealous. Well, Warren, we did it. We hosted our very first episode. It was a little interesting. intense as perhaps any tough topic would be, but I think we brought it home with some encouragement and motivation. Well done, friend.
SPEAKER_02You were positively scrum-trelescent. Before we go, we'd like to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday next week. Stay safe during this Formula One weekend, okay? Please be patient with each other, most especially in this strange time where none of us are really aware of how we're getting from point A to point B in so many different ways. Patience. Patience. Britt, I sure know what I'm grateful for this year. You guys are amazing. Our listeners, of course. Thank you so much for the support already. This is just our first episode, but we have so many of you already so excited for this content. Should we leave our listeners, Britt, with a little teaser of what our next episode should look like?
SPEAKER_00Oh, I love a surprise, but hints are fun. So let's just leave them with like two words. Nightmare guests. Boo. Boo.
SPEAKER_02Oh, boy. You know, that'll be fun. We love discussing when we go wrong as those guests. It's going to be great. And that's a wrap on another critical, or should I say critical, episode of the Vegas Strawn Revival. We hope you enjoyed the conversation and found it as compelling as we did.
SPEAKER_00We'd like to extend our deepest gratitude to our amazing listeners for taking time to listen and engage with us. Your support is truly invaluable.
SPEAKER_02Remember, the Vegas Strawn spirit is all about coming together. So please share this podcast with your friends your colleagues in the hospitality industry as well as anyone who loves the local Las Vegas as much as we do
SPEAKER_00if you have any suggestions ideas for future shows or even if you'd like to be a guest on a future episode don't hesitate to reach out you can connect with us on our website our Facebook page or even leave us a voicemail on our super cool podcast hotline
SPEAKER_02before we go make sure to subscribe to our show on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode we release new content every Friday
SPEAKER_00thanks again Las Vegas and let's continue to revive our city's passion for personalized service together.
SPEAKER_02From Warren Sprigg and Britt Whalen, stay strong Vegas!