"I think you'll see a little plateau through January, untilafter the election, but then prices and rents will just start goingup again," Susan Goodman Byron, a VP in brokerage CRESA Partners'West LA office, tells GlobeSt.com. "There are lots of factors thatare putting upward pressure on [Westside] rents, but nothing thatmakes you think that rents might go lower."

MGM VC Chris McGurk confirmed on Friday that the studio willtake 17 floors at the planned office complex, which would stand onConstellation Boulevard and Century Park West. Chicago-baseddeveloper JMB Realty Corp. won approval to build a 34-story,700,000-sf tower at the site more than two years ago, but hassteadfastly refused to break ground until it could land a majortenant.

McGurk says the 15-year lease is for 425,000 sf. Though hewouldn't disclose financial terms, one broker familiar with thedeal tells GlobeSt.com that it's worth nearly $500 million.