Perched atop the former Bob Stupak’s Vegas World Hotel & Casino until its closure in 2000, KLAV-AM has been a broadcasting mainstay in Las Vegas. Have you ever wondered how this station has evolved? It has moved around the Las Vegas Valley before finding its current home on West Sahara Avenue.
KLAV first hit the airwaves in 1948. Back then, it was known as KLAS. The call sign even stood for Las Vegas. For many years, KLAV played middle-of-the-road music. That lasted until the late 1970s.
Then came a big change. In 1979, disco was king. KLAV embraced the craze and called itself “Disco 1-2-3 KLAV”. The station’s evolution continued into the early 1980s. Under program director Ted Ziegenbusch, KLAV shifted to a Top 40 format.
Did you know KLAV was a pioneer? It played R&B and urban music. It even played rap and hip-hop. This was at a time when rival station 98.5 KLUC wouldn’t touch those genres. In 1985, KLAV briefly switched to easy-listening. It even changed its call letters to KEZD. By 1987, it returned to its KLAV name. It went back to a time-brokered format.
In August 2012, Hemisphere Broadcasting sold KLAV to Lotus Broadcasting. Another format change came in April 2015. KLAV became “La Caliente,” playing regional Mexican music.
KLAV’s FM transmitter K255CT began simulcasting KRLV in April 2017. This happened when Lotus acquired the radio rights to the Vegas Golden Knights. In 2019, KLAV relaunched as “La Ranchera 1230 AM”. It focused on ranchero music.
Then, in August 2020, everything shifted again. KRLV rebranded as Raider Nation Radio. Its sports betting format moved to KLAV. This meant KLAV’s schedule would feature the Vegas Stats & Information Network. That same month, KLAV announced it would broadcast Henderson Silver Knights games. These are the Golden Knights’ AHL affiliate.
The most recent change occurred in February 2025. KLAV rebranded as VSiN Las Vegas 1230 The Game. This emphasized its Vegas Stats & Information Network affiliation. Today, KLAV is owned by Lotus Communications. It airs a betting-focused all-sports format. The station’s studios are in Spring Valley. The transmitter is located in North Las Vegas. You can listen to KLAV across the Las Vegas metropolitan area at 1230 kHz. It is truly a station with a vibrant past.