With more than 350 industry professionals in attendance, avariety of panelists echoed a similar refrain: Such is theflattening of the world economy and the symbiotic relationship ofthe global financial markets that when a subprime loan fizzles inHemet, CA, it's felt at a hedge fund in Australia or a bank inGermany.

As the nation braces for the foreclosure fallout, the InlandEmpire, which has been among the nation's fastest growing regionsin recent years, experiencing a staggering building boom, could beone of the hardest hit.

But that's only the short-term prognosis. And not one shared byall of the featured speakers. The long-term outlook is muchbrighter, according to Natalie Bazarevitsch, a first vice presidentwith CB Richard Ellis. Bazarevitsch moderated a lively Town HallMeeting, where panelists offered some reasons for caution, butmostly a bullish forecast.