Next Realty has been an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) events since the real estate company was launched in 1998. ICSC’s main event is a three-day convention in Las Vegas each spring. ICSC also holds conventions throughout the year in primary markets like Chicago, New York, and Miami. ICSC Chicago Dealmaking was held from October 16-17 at Navy Pier, where Next Realty has a formal booth as part of the convention.
For over fifteen years, Next Realty has developed a tradition associated with ICSC by co-hosting social events to enhance the informal networking that is a vital part of the ICSC experience. In Chicago, Next co-hosts an After-Hours Cocktail Party with other commercial real estate service providers. Next Realty thanks its 2019 ICSC After-Hours co-hosts: Caton Commercial Real Estate, Cohen Financial, a Division of SunTrust Bank, FGMK, LLC, Manhard Consulting, Much Shelist, P.C., Pioneer Engineering & Environmental Services, LLC, and REjournal, as well as all who attended this year’s event.
In the spring, Next Realty co-hosts a luncheon that now attracts several hundred people during ICSC RECon in Las Vegas. Brokers, owners, investors, municipal representatives, and others who are involved in the lifecycle of a retail property convene at the luncheon to network and socialize informally. With a quick break from ICSC RECon, Next Realty and the luncheon co-sponsors find time to have a quick bite and a friendly chat with guests while still having ample time to return to the main ICSC events in the nearby convention center.
For Next Realty, the events it hosts in Chicago and Las Vegas are a valuable part of the overall ICSC experience in those cities. The events are all about deal flow and relationships, sometimes individually and sometimes collectively.
“Getting together in a more casual atmosphere gives you a chance to get to know someone differently than in email exchanges and conference calls. When you are evaluating a deal, negotiating terms or getting an update on a market, it’s nice to speak face to face,” says Andy Hochberg, CEO and Managing Principal at Next Realty. “It’s nice to be able to put a name with a face and to have the opportunity to talk about more than business or the deal at hand.”
