A new conversation about the politics and business of hometown Washington. Longtime journalists Cuneyt Dil and Tom Sherwood bring exclusive reporting, sharp analysis and real curiosity to the forces shaping D.C.’s political and business scene. It’s the stories everyone’s talking about — and the ones they aren’t.
Tourists Are Skipping D.C. What Will the Next Mayor Do?
The Dream City Podcast digs into a troubling sign for the local economy: D.C.’s tourism industry is struggling during a year that was supposed to bring a historic influx of visitors.
And with Election Day just weeks away, Cuneyt and Tom look for clues about how mayor-in-waiting Janeese Lewis George could govern.
00:00 Why Tourists Are Staying Away From D.C.
05:21 National Guard Troops at D.C. Ballot Drop Boxes
09:53 JLG Wins Her Campaign Finance Fight — Now What Happens to OCF?
15:10 Is Therme’s D.C. Mega-Spa Dead?
18:28 D.C.’s New Parking Enforcement Fight
The Dream City Podcast is supported by SpotlightDC: Capital City Fund for Investigative Journalism (https://spotlightdc.org/).
The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.
Music credit: Highway 430 by Blue Dot Sessions (https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/381497)
The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.
5 Oct 2026
A Mistrial, a Mega-Garage, and D.C.’s Giant Spa
Cuneyt and Tom dig into the fallout from Trayon White’s federal bribery trial after a hung jury resulted in a mistrial. White acknowledged taking $35,000 during the trial — raising a separate question for the D.C. Council: even without a conviction, will his colleagues censure, reprimand or even try to expel him again? Tom shares what he's hearing.
Then, they turn to RFK Stadium, where residents of nearby Kingman Park are fighting plans for an enormous eight-story, 3,600-space parking garage stretching nearly 800 feet along their neighborhood.
Plus: D.C.’s surprisingly serious plan for a roughly 500,000-square-foot waterfront spa at Poplar Point. Tom thinks it’s a terrible use of prime Anacostia River land. Cuneyt makes the case that every great civilization deserves its bathhouse.
00:00 Inside D.C.’s Political Boat Party
03:38 Will the Council Punish Trayon White?
10:00 RFK Stadium Has a Massive Parking Problem
17:03 Does D.C. Really Need a Giant Waterfront Spa?
The Dream City Podcast is supported by launch partner SpotlightDC: Capital City Fund for Investigative Journalism (https://spotlightdc.org/).
The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.
Music credit: Highway 430 by Blue Dot Sessions (https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/381497)
The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.
14 Sept 2026
Trayon White Heads to Court as D.C.’s Finances Flash Red
On this week’s Dream City Podcast, Cuneyt and Tom preview Ward 8 Council member Trayon White’s long-awaited federal bribery trial.
They also dig into a stark warning from D.C.’s chief financial officer that the city’s economic and revenue signals are “flashing red."
It points to Janeese Lewis George's biggest task ahead: rebuilding D.C.'s economy.
00:00 We're back + Cuneyt's Travels
02:59 Tom vs. Bowser Over the IndyCar Race
04:41 Trayon White Heads to Trial on Bribery Charges
11:39 The Council Returns: Waymo, Taxes, Budgeting
14:41 D.C.’s Finances Are “Flashing Red”
22:54 Five Ways D.C. Could Start Acting Like a State
34:11 Commanders vs. Eagles + Closing Banter
The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.
Music credit: Highway 430 by Blue Dot Sessions (https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/381497)
The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
4.9 / 5
15 ratings
Spotify
4.3 / 5
7 ratings
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