The Las Vegas Paiute Tribe has announced plans to open Nevada’s first medical cannabis facility constructed on Native American land — just outside of downtown Las Vegas.
Tribal Chairman Benny Tso announced Monday that the tribe has partnered with the New Mexico firm Ultra Health, which already manages six facilities in Arizona and New Mexico.
The tribe plans to build a 3,000-square-foot dispensary on tribal land by Main Street and Washington Avenue, minutes from downtown. It also plans to construct an 84,000-square-foot production facility and another 10,000-square-foot production center on the Snow Mountain Reservation in the northwestern portion of the Las Vegas Valley, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The production facility will also serve as a dispensary. The tribe already operates the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Club Resort on its reservation as well.
A ground-breaking ceremony was held on Monday. Ultra Health President and CEO Duke Rodriguez said the project should be completed by the end of the year.
“I’m a big believer that cannabis in America on tribal lands will be bigger than gaming,” said Rodriguez, who said he is also in talks with 20 other tribes in the Southwest.
Rodriguez said the operation should initially create 50 new jobs, a number that will likely grow to 100.