The bay area commercial real estate market is red hot! That was the message heard by the 450 attendees to the annual NAIOP Tampa Bay Broker Update at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. The attendance and program were bigger and better than ever because the NAIOP Broker Update was combined for the first time with the Tampa Bay Business Journal's Commercial Real Estate Market Forecast.

Steve Tombrink of Grubb & Ellis Commercial Florida put the program together using the tried and true NAIOP Tampa Bay Broker Update format. He arranged for presentations on all the sectors of the commercial real estate market. The 2005 speakers were:

Industrial: Bob Krueger, First Industrial Realty Trust
Office: Larry Richey, Cushman & Wakefield of Florida
Retail: J. Patrick Duffy, Colliers Arnold Commercial Real Estate Services
Investment: Steve Ekovich, Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Brokerage Co.
Land: Bill Eshenbaugh, Eshenbaugh Land Company

During his comments, Pat Duffy (third from left) said real estate bubbles can be "fun". To prove it, he created some soap bubbles. After the event, he generated more bubbles and fun with his fellow speakers (from left to right): Bill Eshenbaugh, Bob Krueger, Duffy, Steve Tombrink, Steve Ekovich, and Larry Richey.

Bill Eshenbaugh sported a new pair of Florida gatorskin boots for the Broker Update.

Steve Tombrink (left) teamed up with Carl Cronan of the Tampa Bay Business Journal as Masters of Ceremonies.