"We try to get into specific issues that are meaty enough andhave enough depth that the people attending go away with havinglearned something. We are dealing with worst case scenarios, andhow developers and owners and their investors must deal with thoseissues. Not just them, but also the team of professionals, such asattorneys, who have to weigh in on these issues," says G.Christopher Davis, an economist and principal of the Davis Group inNewport Beach, who is also director of the UCI program.

Focusing on the financial side this time, Marla Johnson, seniorvice president and senior relationship manager with Silicon ValleyBank's Irvine office, says her bank has rigorous underwritingstandards for clients and has had very few letters of creditoverdrawn. The bank likes the Orange County market, she adds,because it is diversified among many industries. "We enjoy the roleof being a risk mitigant. We're committed to the early stagetechnology companies."

Russ Parker, principal of Parker Properties in Aliso Viejo, sayshe does not require letters of credit from prospective tenants whohave sustained net worth. But, he has three institutional partnersto satisfy, so he prefers letters of credit over lease bonds, whichare usually rejected out of hand by everyone else. As for rights offirst refusal, as an owner and builder neither he nor his partnersfavor them.