LOS ANGELES-USC took home the Silver Shovel Award at the 16^th annual NAIOP Real Estate Challenge on November 21. An audience of 300 real estate professionals came to watch top graduate students from Ziman Center for Real Estate at UCLA's Anderson School of Management and the Lusk Center at USC's Marshall School of Business and Price School of Public Policy. James C. “Watty” Watson, CT Realty Investors CEO and president, was the emcee for the evening.

“One of our objectives at NAIOP SoCal is to enhance the real estate industry,” said Lang Cottrell, Goodman Birtcher Southwest regional director and NAIOP SoCal 2013 president. “A great way to accomplish this objective is to help foster future industry leaders. With the NAIOP SoCal Real Estate Challenge, we've showcased the talents and creativity of the next generation of real estate professionals, in a dynamic forum that also celebrates the USC vs. UCLA rivalry.”

This year, the student teams were challenged to create proposals for an 11-acre development site on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach, where the Seaport Marina Hotel currently stands. Both former starting quarterbacks, UCLA's Cory Paus and USC's Shane Foley served as honorary team captains. Real estate industry leaders judged the team proposals based on best land use, density, building mass and symbolic connection to the City of Long Beach.