What Are Your ICSC Predictions?

The International Council of Shopping Centers’ spring convention, now called RECon, kicks off on Sunday.Local publications in various cities are already starting to cover the event, and we’ve had some pre-conference coverage here, and we’ll have plenty more of it during the show.We aren’t sure what to expect when we arrive at the convention center. Every year we’ve gone, the retail real estate industry has seemed to thrive compared to the rest of the economy. But now many retailers’ sales are dismal and more than a few are cutting back their expansion plans. Some people have told us that it will be business as usual and people will even work harder than ever to overcome this tough market. Others we’ve talked to predict empty booths on the convention floor, a slowdown in the usual chaotic foot traffic and way fewer networking parties than in years past.So what’s your take on it? Will it be extremely busy as usual or are we going to see a significant drop in activity?