Buono explains that the symposium, the second such event thatCBRE has conducted, is an outgrowth of a strategy that the LosAngeles-based firm has been pursuing in recent years to increaseits dominance in the world of retail services and to refine theCBRE retail services model. He says CBRE's clients have beentelling the firm that although large gatherings like the ICSCconference in Las Vegas are important, the clients would like tospend more time examining the retail world in-depth without thetime limitations of a large, heavily attended conference.

The program for tomorrow's symposium will feature a keynotepresentation by founder Ron Pompeii of New York City-based PompeiA.D., a presentation by Torto Wheaton Research economist AbbyMarks, an overview of CBRE retail services, an occupier anddeveloper panel and a capital markets panel. "The idea here is tooffer a symposium where our clients can spend time with some of thebest thought leaders in the industry, along with some of our CBREprofessionals, and come out of the symposium with information aswell as actual deals that can materialize," Buono says.

CBRE tested the format for the event in January in Hawaii withits first symposium. It has decided to roll it out across thecountry, with the second symposium here in Southern California andwith others tentatively planned for Florida, Dallas and the NewYork Tri-State area later this year and next year. There is alsothe thought of such an event in Canada, possibly in Toronto.