Innovative Retailers and Real Estate Executives to Convene for InterFace Retail: Atlanta

ATLANTA, March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- France Publications, publisher of Shopping Center Business and Southeast Real Estate Business, will present InterFace Retail: Atlanta on April 7th, an informational and networking conference with a focus on retail real estate in Greater Atlanta. More than 200 are expected to attend this event at the Intercontinental Buckhead in Atlanta.

Through his keynote address, Morgan Dene Oliver, CEO of national retail developer Oliver McMillan, whose firm recently took over the Streets of Buckhead in Atlanta, will discuss this mixed-use project and his futuristic vision for retail.

Additional speakers represent prominent national and local retail investors and developers, including: David Nielsen, Bentall Kennedy; Bill Read, Developers Diversified Realty; Jeff Fuqua, The Sembler Company; and Thomas Falatko, Cole Real Estate Investments.

"Since there has been little retail construction over the last few years, there will be incredibly heated demand for space by retailers in markets like Atlanta as consumer spending improves," says Jerry France, President and CEO of France Publications and Publisher of Shopping Center Business and Southeast Real Estate Business. "We are just starting to see consumers trickle back into the market with more spending confidence, so we are at the very beginning of the return of retail. Retailers, developers and brokers need to stay informed so they can take advantage of the up cycle."

InterFace Retail: Atlanta will feature 10 panel discussions aimed at identifying the opportunities in today's retail real estate environment. Agenda topics include: "State of the Greater Atlanta Retail Market: An Owners' Perspective," "Investment Sales Update: Exploring the Rise of Private Equity, Institutional and Foreign Capital in Greater Atlanta Retail Deals," and "New Projects & Hot Submarkets: The Future of Greater Atlanta Retail Development."

Retailers Teavana Corporation, McDonald's, SmashBurger, and others, as well as industry expert Alan McKeon of Alexander Babbage will participate in a retailers' perspective panel. Industry research firm REIS will present an opening presentation detailing real estate market fundamentals and investment sales volume.

Leading national and local retailers and retail real estate firms are expected to attend, including: Developers Diversified Realty, Selig Enterprises, CBRE, Eastdil Secured, DLC Management Corp., Arnall Golden Gregory, Grubb & Ellis and The Shopping Center Group, LLC.

Additional information about InterFace Retail: Atlanta can be found on the conference website, http://www.InterFaceConferenceGroup.com/ATLretail, or by contacting Lindsay Machado of the InterFace Conference Group, 404-832-8262 or by e-mail, [email protected]

SOURCE France Publications; InterFace Conference Group