A marijuana megastore located in a refurbished bingo hall will open April 20 on tribal land, and anyone 21 and older can be a customer.
(Photo credit: Getty Images).
The megastore cost over $50 million to create, and will open at 9am on April 20 on the tribal land of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (ECBI). Although it will be located on tribal land, anyone who’s at least 21 years old will be allowed to purchase marijuana and marijuana products. The store will be located near Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, which is roughly three hours from Charlotte, the state’s most populated city, and 4.5 hours from Raleigh, the state’s capital.
The store’s opening for recreational users is possible due to a September vote by members of the EBCI, who voted overwhelmingly in favor of a measure to legalize recreational marijuana for everyone 21 and older
Specifically, the referendum asked voters: “Do you support legalizing the possession and use of cannabis for persons who are at least twenty-one (21) years old, and require the EBCI Tribal Council to develop legislation to regulate the market?” The measure passed with 70% support.
According to Lee Griffin, human resources director for the tribe’s cannabis subsidiary Qualla Enterprises LLC, the store will employ at least 350 people.
The tribe’s reservation consists of nearly 57,000 acres covering five counties; Cherokee, Graham, Jackson, Macon, and Swain Counties.
