Property World’s French Riviera Summit Postponed on Virus Fears

(Bloomberg) -- The world’s biggest property event held on the French Riviera has been pushed back to June over concern about the coronavirus epidemic, the summit organizers said.

The four-day event, known as MIPIM, will now take place June 2-5 in Cannes instead of its usual March slot. “The well-being of our clients and staff is our priority,” Paul Zilk, chief executive officer of organizer Reed MIDEM, said in an emailed statement.

The MIPIM conference usually attracts tens of thousands of bankers, brokers and developers to the luxury hotels and superyachts of the French Riviera. Major real-estate brokers Cushman & Wakefield Plc and Knight Frank had already decided to skip the fair.

It’s the latest event to be affected by the novel coronavirus outbreak that has hampered conferences and sporting events around the world. China’s annual auto show in Beijing has been postponed and in Italy, the soccer game between Juventus and Inter Milan has been delayed until May 13. French authorities canceled the Paris half-marathon due to take place on Sunday.

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To contact the reporter on this story: Jeremy Hodges in London at jhodges17@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Reed Landberg at landberg@bloomberg.net, James Amott, Tony Halpin

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