“I don’t think the same user goes to a nightclub as they do a consumption lounge, so we’ll definitely go with more of a curated food and beverage program, and just have just a really cool, clean kind of environment for people to hang out and consume their cannabis,” Thrive CEO and Managing Partner Mitch Britten said.

Other businesses, such as vertically integrated retailer, cultivator and processor Thrive Cannabis Marketplace, are opting to stay away from the night-club atmosphere and focus more on comfort and hospitality. “Locals may go once out of curiosity, but tourists generally don’t leave the Strip.” “If you can’t sell alcohol, I don’t get how you make money,” said Larry Doyle, owner of Las Vegas-based dispensary Euphoria Wellness. The rules about alcohol have prevented others in the Las Vegas cannabis space from even considering opening a consumption lounge. “In the same building we will have consumption lounges, a cannabis museum, smoking lounges, a club – everything under one roof,” Scheffler said. That licensing arrangement skirts rules that do not allow lounges to serve alcohol and cannabis in the same building. Instead, it will direct new customers to the rest of the Planet 13 experience, most notably a nightclub the company recently opened in the same building under a different business license. Scheffler said he does not expect the lounge to be a big sales driver. “If you have a steak, we would give you a pad of garlic butter with THC, a salad you can get (infused) salad dressing and so on.” “We serve regular food, and you infuse your own food,” said Larry Scheffler, co-CEO of Planet 13 Holdings. The company plans to combine the consumption lounge with a restaurant experience. Many in the Nevada cannabis sector are hoping to throw their hats in the consumption-lounge ring, including Planet 13, a massive dispensary and entertainment center located near the Strip. “We can really envision a cannabis tourism destination spot.” “Cannabis tourism is massive,” said Christopher LaPorte, founder of cannabis hospitality company Reset Vegas. Using a consumption lounge to drive traffic into nearby businesses.Converting an existing restaurant to include the option of “infuse-your-own-food.”.Focusing on a comfortable, calm space to provide an alternative to the nightclub atmosphere of the Strip.The state is allowing 40-45 licenses for lounges attached to existing marijuana retail stores and 20 for stand-alone establishments, including 10 with sharply discounted fees reserved for social equity applicants.Īn estimated 60-65 existing retailers have expressed interest in opening consumption lounges.Ĭonsumption-lounge hopefuls have begun to implement their own unique strategies for making profits in an untested market, a select few of which include: The law allows for lounges to begin operating statewide as early as the end of 2022 and for licenses to be processed beginning this fall.

Infuse restaurant