Shopping Centers Today is the news magazine of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
Issue link: https://sct.epubxp.com/i/654213
ICSC President and CEO Thomas McGee. "The retail real estate indus- try is strong because it is successfully evolving to meet the needs of con- sumers and the market." RECon, the largest retail real es- tate gathering in the world, is a mas- sive undertaking — encompassing some 1.5 million square feet and of- fering a sizable lineup of deal mak- ing, networking, educational work- shops and presentations. Among some new features this year is the In- novation Lounge, held in the Grand Lobby, which will showcase retail real estate technology exhibitors. A panel of judges will rate these start- ups as they compete for innovation supremacy. The week's highlights include in- spirational talks by business icons at the Westgate Hotel. NBA legend Earvin (Magic) Johnson takes the po- dium at 1 p.m. on Sunday to share some of his experiences as a business mogul and philanthropist; he is a two-time inductee into the Hall of Fame and a Major League Baseball owner. Earlier that day, at 11 a.m., Parag Khanna, CEO and co-founder of marketing firm Factotum, will offer perspective on a number of global issues. Khanna, who is also the managing partner of advisory firm Hybrid Reality, is featured on the Wired magazine Smart List and ranked among Esquire's 75 Most In- fluential People of the 21st Century. At 2:30 p.m. Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos and author of New York Times bestseller Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose, will round out the Sunday presentations. Hsieh heads the Downtown Project, a group committed to transforming downtown Las Vegas into the most community-focused large city in the world. Attendees can learn more about the Downtown Project at a reception later that afternoon. Reg- 54 S C T / A p r i l 2 0 1 6 RECon is a time to earn and learn: RECon Academy, an assortment of 20 education programs, will be spread over the course of the four-day conference. Most sessions will be held on Sunday — designated Professional Development Day — to give conventioneers freedom from time conflicts with the deal-making events, which are scheduled for later in the week. Each 90-minute session earns the participant half a continuing-education credit. "One of the changes we had to make since RECon 2015 was to make more room for everybody," said Sandhya Espitia, ICSC's vice president of education and certification. "We increased the capacity we had in all of those rooms, because we had more people than we had seats." This year ICSC will offer 500 seats per class, with room for additional seating as needed, according to Espitia. "Ideally, we want people to register beforehand," Espitia said. Anyone who has not already enrolled in specific classes through the RECon website are encouraged to sign up on Sunday morning at a registration kiosk at the Westgate Hotel — although no one who shows up for the session will be turned away. "Those who decide at the last minute that they want to add a course or change a class can do so by only presenting their badge," Espitia said. Also, anyone unsure of which classes to take can learn about ICSC's professional certifications at 90-minute briefings (one for each designation), scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. Said Espitia: "Content across our courses includes marketing, retail, shopping center management, development, leasing and, of course, specialty leasing." — MH EDUCATE YOUrSElF AT rECON