ICSC RECon Postponed Due To Coronavirus
The International Council of Shopping Centers' annual RECon retail convention in Las Vegas, one of the biggest events on the commercial real estate calendar, has been postponed.
Two days after stating that the conference, attended by tens of thousands of people each May, would continue as planned, ICSC President and CEO Tom Magee released a statement Friday morning declaring that all of the organization's events through June would be postponed or canceled in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
"Since I communicated with you this Wednesday, March 11, 2020, the impact of the COVID-19 situation has rapidly escalated," McGee said in the statement. "Among other things, many national events have been cancelled, numerous 'State of Emergency' proclamations have been issued, schools have closed across the nation, and professional and collegiate sports organizations have cancelled or suspended their seasons. In consideration of these and other developments, and in consultation with member leadership, including ICSC's Chair, Vice Chair and Executive Board, we have decided to extend the suspension of all ICSC events, including RECon, through June 30, 2020."
Previously, ICSC had canceled events through April 10, which included regional conferences in Monterey, California, and Charlotte, North Carolina. RECon was scheduled for May 17-19, but McGee said the organization is now looking for dates later in the year.
ICSC’s decision follows the World Health Organization’s declaration of the coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as a pandemic, and comes amid hundreds of event cancellations around the U.S. Around the same time ICSC announced RECon's postponement, the Masters golf tournament and Boston Marathon — both set to be held next month — announced they would be pushed back to later in the year.
RECon was attended by around 30,000 people last year. The conference brings together landlords, retailers, brokers and all sorts of service providers, and it is where many deals that have been negotiated over the course of months are consummated with in-person handshakes and post-networking revelry.
"We appreciate your patience as we manage this situation, and we will immediately communicate with you when new plans are finalized," McGee said. "I recognize the importance of RECon in helping our members build and grow their businesses. However, given the current situation, it is not possible to ensure a healthy and safe experience for our members. I will continue to communicate with you frequently as we navigate our way forward."
