Last week it was Aliante Station on the outskirts of town; this week it's Encore at the center Strip. Both casinos are still under construction, but both are now accepting reservations for 2009.

Due to open in December, Encore is booking from Feb. 6 onward. The $2.1 billion, 2,034-all-suite sister hotel of Wynn Las Vegas will feature five restaurants, seven bars and lounges, a nightclub, a spa and a retail promenade. The rooms start at 700 square feet and are expected to sport the latest in electronics technology. Rates start at (a mere) $529; 888-320-7123.

TUT-ALOO: Luxor has closed both its Imax theater and King Tut exhibit. The closings will make room for "Bodies ... The Exhibition" and "Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition," both of which are moving across the Strip from the Tropicana.

BRAXTON REMOVED: The multi-story building wrap of R&B star Toni Braxton, which long had adorned the Flamingo's western facade, has been taken down. The visage of magician Nathan Burton is now displayed.

POOL PARTIES: Two new summer pool parties have surfaced. The party at the Tropicana runs from noon to 11 p.m. on Mondays, and the party at the Plaza runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursdays. Both are free to the public and open to nonhotel guests.

ROK VEGAS: A new rock-centric nightclub, Rok Vegas, is due to open this August at New York-New York. The club will surround guests with concert footage, live club feeds, lasers and animation.

Q. Times are tough. Is Las Vegas discounting?

A. Yes. The big boys try not to make it obvious, but deals, especially in room rates, are plentiful — both in terms of price and extras — and you can expect more heading into the always-discounted month of July. Your best strategy is to check as many options as possible before booking a room (and check this column next week for the results of the Advisor's annual summer room-rate survey).

For information about Las Vegas shows, buffets, coupons and deals, see www.LasVegasAdvisor.com.