Insights from ICSC Las Vegas 2025

Last week, Franklin Street attended ICSC Las Vegas, and Carrie Smith, Executive Vice President, and line lead for our Retail business, shared her thoughts on the conference and the state of Retail currently:

I was proud and inspired at ICSC Vegas last week. This conference is always about more than just deal-making—it’s about people and relationships. Franklin Street is a leader in the industry because of how much our team cares about working hard for—and being good partners to—our clients and each other. From real connections to real momentum, we’re leaving the conference energized. Here are a few of my takeaways:

• Landlords and tenants are increasingly more flexible in getting deals across the finish line. There is a higher occurrence of “meeting in the middle,” demonstrating motivation on both sides of the table to move deals along.
• The Southeast continues to be a major priority for retail and restaurant expansion plans. We repeatedly heard how important Florida is to growth plans, with states like Texas, Georgia and the Carolinas being named frequently as well.
• Since the beginning of the year, there has been an abundance of optimism in the shopping center industry, and that was on full display at Vegas ICSC. Brokers, tenants, and landlords are getting deals done, and excited about the current landscape, even with current economic headwinds. Consumers are being picky about where they spend their money, but the tenants who are performing well are showing themselves to be incredible operators, forward thinking with technology, and beloved socially.