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Arizona played host to ICSC‘s 2015 U.S. Shopping Center Law Conference, and with great success. The conference took place at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, which comfortably housed over 1,400 attendees. The conference offered a robust itinerary of educational sessions, focus groups and roundtables. As always, the gathering was rich with opportunities to network and mingle with colleagues, peers and old friends.
By day, attendees had the opportunity to take advantage of an impressive slate of educational programs for all skill sets. Organizers divvied up the schedule to provide workshops for both emerging practitioners (e.g., “Leasing Boot Camp I: Negotiate a Lease Like a Jedi Wields a Light Saber”) and more advanced professionals alike (e.g., “We Are Not in Kansas Anymore: Unique Issues in City Leasing”), allowing everyone a chance to further develop their practice. Sessions with a broader focus, like “Developer/Tenant Flashpoints in the Redevelopment of Malls and Shopping Center”, drew listeners of all levels and specializations.
At dusk on Wednesday, the crowd gathered outdoors for the welcome reception to enjoy multiple networking opportunities whilst sharing food and libations. Thursday morning, keynote speaker Commander Rorke T. Denver inspired his audience with a powerful message about leadership, balance and the importance of mentorship. That evening, ICSC’s Next Generation gave newcomers an opportunity to connect while indulging in some of the area’s local cuisine with a casual, “Dine Around” event. Outside of the scheduled programs and events, attendees reconnected with old friends, made new connections and took advantage of the retail-rich environment to share ideas and expand networks.
All in all, the 2015 Law Conference was a great success. Record numbers for attendance proved that the retail industry continues to thrive. Next year, conference organizers are shooting for similar success, this time in Hollywood, Florida, on October 26th, 2016.
