SAN FRANCISCO-The Houston-based REIT joins forces with a trio of local developers here in a joint venture that will focus on developing and redeveloping retail properties in Northern California.

KIRKLAND, WA-Sno-King Amateur Hockey Association signs a 25-year lease with Yakima-based Casino Caribbean to outfit and operate a 15-table card room, lounge and restaurant in half of a roller rink-turned-Bingo Hall in the Kingsgate area.

SALT LAKE CITY-Historically, winter Olympics host cities experience two years of RevPAR valleys following their Olympic year peak. This city, however, is rebounding a year sooner than expected.

BEAVERTON, OR-The locally based real estate company pays $5.4 million for the former ViewMaster property next to its 149,000-sf Cascade Plaza Shopping Center. The purchase is part of a $25-million effort to remodel and expand the center to 285,000 sf.

ANTIOCH, CA-The Slatten Valley Ranch Shopping Center sells to a private investment partnership looking to satisfy a 1031 exchange from a multifamily apartment building located in Fremont.

BELLEVUE, WA-With the office market now back in play, the locally-based development company says it will focus on developing that and retail on its property adjacent to Meydenbauer Convention Center rather than continuing to negotiate a public-private partnership for a major convention center hotel.

LAS CRUCES, NM-Using a portion of the $9 million in financing it received earlier this year from New Mexico's State Investment Council, Plano, TX-based Earthstone International will open a new research and development facility here to support the company's product development efforts.

GREENSBORO, NC-DBSI Group of Cos. acquires Signature Place, a one-time enclosed mall here that was redeveloped into a 295,000-sf office property in the late 1990s.