Two companies from Atlanta throw two of the biggest parties at the International Council of Shopping Centers convention held in Las Vegas each May.

The parties serve as bookends to the high-powered conference that attracted about 50,000 brokers, retailers and developers this year.

But the soirées are a study in contrasts.

The first, by the Shopping Center Group of Atlanta, is pure business.

The second, by Atlanta mall developer Charlie Hendon, is all about music, free drinks and Playboy's Playmate of the Year.

The Shopping Center Group, a retail brokerage firm, opens the convention with a gala in the grand ballroom of the Las Vegas Four Seasons.

David Birnbrey, the firm's chairman and co-CEO, said about 2,500 people came this year, breaking the party's 20-year record of about 1,700.

"It was the most successful party we've ever had," Birnbrey said.

He said he was worried the economy would dampen attendance, but it didn't.

With a huge buffet and free drinks, it's a party to see old acquaintances and start the wheeling and dealing that will mark the next few days.

"The party is designed as a business generating event," Birnbrey said. "We don't have music. The lights are dimmed but not off. Every part of it is to create a flow of people so that you can walk through the crowd and talk."

Guests this year included Steve Selig, patriarch of the Selig development company; developer Jack Halpern and his son Benjamin, who now works for the Shopping Center Group; Mitchell Jacoby and his son Derek, of Jacoby Development; Atlantic Station's Brian Leary; developers Emory Morsberger and John Perlman, who will redevelop City Hall East; and Arnall Golden Gregory retail attorney Abe Schear and law partners, including John Spinrad.

With 220 employees, Birnbrey said that although the party costs well into the six figures, it's better than having his employees go to 200 different restaurants with clients.

"There's a lot of synergy about being in the same room at the same time," he said.

Two nights later, as the convention is winding down, is a party of an entirely different flavor: Hendon Rocks.

The event has taken on epic proportions, if not for the fact that Charlie Hendon invited about 6,500 people by sending coveted wristbands to get in.

At the entrance to the party, girls in tight black "Hendon Rocks" shirts threw T-shirts at people who jumped up to catch them.

Part rock concert, part frat party, part pool bash and this year, part fund-raiser, the party was held in the pool area and nightclub of the Palms Casino Resort (the hotel where MTV's "Real World Las Vegas" was filmed).

Elton John, a friend of Hendon's, recorded a video invitation, urging invitees to come to the party that also raised $50,000 for the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Rumors were that John might join the party, but there were no Elton sightings that night as he was not in town.

It's not clear how much networking gets done, but it is clear that fatigued conventioneers use the party to blow off steam and enjoy a lot of free alcohol. At one of the party's eight bars, the drink of choice was vodka with Red Bull.

"The idea is absolutely completely different from the Shopping Center Group party," Hendon said. "You see no name tags. This has nothing to do with business. I'm shocked that people come up and try to talk business to me with the speaker blaring in my ear."

Hendon filled two stages with performers — one inside Club Rain featuring Band X, an Atlanta cover band, as well as Soul Stash, his 16-year-old son's band, and one on the pool deck with a hip-hop DJ and live dancers. At 1:30 a.m., the fest was still rolling.

The party is planned by Atlanta's Flashpoint Group.

By one estimate, the party costs Hendon (and a cadre of others that he hits up to throw the bash) just under $1 million. Said Hendon: "I'm happy when it's six figures." This year was the "high six figures."

Hendon said the party started 14 years ago when he was struggling to get in the retail business.

Instead of advertising, he decided to use his money to throw a party at the ICSC convention "because everyone you want is there."

Mixing music — his first love — with real estate, he threw the party at the Hard Rock Hotel for 365 people. This year, he said, 5,936 people were at the party. His development company employs only 10 people.

But as for what he gets out of it?

"Instant name recognition," Hendon said. "We've branded ourselves through this party. We're not only seen as a company that makes things happen, but also as a kind of a cool company. People will say to us in November, 'Hey, if I do this deal with you can I get an invitation to the party next year?' "

The answer to that, he said, is yes.