Justine Griffin / Herald Tribune – Every year, the who’s who of the retail industry descends upon Las Vegas for the annual International Council of Shopping Centers RECON convention.

Held in May, thousands of mall builders, real estate professionals and retailer representatives get together to ink deals on new developments and projects.

This year, analysts say the conference was more upbeat than in years past.

“There’s a great deal of optimism and incredible healthy and strong views for expansion,” said Greg Miles, the chief operating officer for Westfield Group, an Australian mall operator that owns Southgate Mall and Sarasota Square Mall. “People are really focused on the consumer, and the American market is stronger than it’s ever been.”