A silver lining for every cloud?

Last week I attended Recon 09, the International Council of Shopping Centers, annual convention in Las Vegas. Not surprisingly, given the economy, attendance was down significantly - just over 20,000 as compared to 50,000 last year.

So where's the "silver lining"?

• national retailers were seriously talking about expansion plans
  
• the security line at Mc Carran Airport took less than five minutes
  

But seriously folks, while the mood was reflective and bit somber, my sense is that retailers are "teeing up", cautiously perhaps, but nonetheless getting ready to play the next round.