The presence of construction cranes in Las Vegas has always been a sign of prosperous times. Now, after several lean years, the cranes are becoming visible again. The biggest concentration is on the south end of the Strip at the Raiders Stadium construction site.

Several cranes can be easily viewed from I-15 and surrounding areas. Work is in full gear and the bottom parts of the stadium structure are visible.

On the Strip, several cranes are also in action at the building site of Resorts World Las Vegas, across the street from Encore. And look for more soon at the construction sites for three big convention facilities being built at Wynn Las Vegas, behind the High Roller observation wheel, and on the Strip at the site of the former Riviera.

Lotta dogs: In 2017, South Point sold 215,142 hot dogs from its sports book cart. That’s 589 per day, or more than one per minute considering the hours the cart is in operation. The Vienna dogs are $1.25 and come with kraut, onions and relish. It’s the best hot dog deal in Vegas.

Pai gow poker jackpot at Rio: Caesars Entertainment’s Fortune Pai Gow Poker Progressive was hit for $1.4 million at the Rio. The pai gow poker side bet links 37 tables at nine casinos and pays for a 7-card straight flush.

Question: In the summer room-rate survey you wrote about in this space, you listed the lowest rates excluding resort fees. What were the best deals with resort fees included?

Answer: The lowest rate after factoring in resort fees was the Longhorn, located on Boulder Hwy., offering a $25 base rate and $5 RF for a total of $35 (taxes not included). Next, was Four Queens, which still doesn’t have a resort fee, which came in at $39. Golden Gate’s $19.20 base plus $25 resort fee (yes, the RF is higher than the base rate) came to $44.20. El Cortez combined was $44.95, and Fremont and Main Street Station combined were both $44.99.

For more information about Las Vegas shows, buffets, coupons and good deals, go to LasVegasAdvisor.com.