We Went to ICSC Monterey! Here’s Our Thoughts

Last week, we were in Monterey for ICSC, spending a few days in the middle of the retail real estate world.

ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers) hosts this Northern California conference every year. It brings together retailers, developers, brokers, landlords, and cities in one place to network, discuss leasing, and stay on top of market activity across the region.

The conference itself is what you would expect. There are speakers, panels, and a full conference hall lined with booths. Brokers, cities, and companies set up to meet, pitch, and stay visible. It is structured, but it also moves fast.

At the same time, a lot of the real activity happens outside of that.

Meetings are happening all day, but just as many conversations are happening in hotel lobbies, at restaurants, and in between everything else. People are connecting, catching up, and staying in front of each other.

There were over 3,000 people there, and you could feel it everywhere you went.

It was good to see familiar groups and partners out there. Colliers had a strong presence, and partners we actively work with, like HMH Engineers and Merced College, were engaged and involved. That kind of visibility matters, especially in a setting like this.

We spent time walking the conference floor, seeing how brokers, cities, and developers were showing up and trying to stand out, and it made it pretty clear where we fit in. As a construction and development team, we are often involved early and all the way through, not just watching deals happen or getting pulled in at the end, but helping get them across the finish line and built. Being at something like this helps with that. We are able to connect with brokers, understand what their clients are looking for, and start building those relationships early, which puts us in a better position when projects actually start to take shape. You also start to see who is active and who is doing real deals. That gives us a better sense of where we can step in, where we actually add value, and who we should be building with long-term.

From a development perspective, it is clear this is a broker-heavy conference, but that also creates opportunity. Being there allows you to stay connected with the regional brokerage community and continue building relationships that matter over time.

It also reinforced how much showing up is part of marketing in this industry. Being there builds brand awareness, and seeing how others present their projects helps us continue to refine our branding, presentations, and content to make a bigger impact.

As far as what we are seeing in the market, nothing too surprising. There is still strong demand around credit tenant leases, and that continues to shape a lot of the conversations happening at events like this.

Overall, the value of being there comes back to visibility and relationships. Staying present and continuing to build the right connections is a big part of moving projects forward.