Las Vegas to Open a Hotel Where Guests Can Smoke Cannabis
Alex Rizk, CEO and owner of Pro Hospitality Group, has purchased the 64-room boutique hotel Artisan in Las Vegas for $11.9 million. Rizk told the press that he plans to begin a major renovation of the hotel in the next couple of months, with a budget of $3 million.
The renovation is expected to be completed by September of this year. According to Rizk, the goal is to make the hotel “cannabis-friendly” in anticipation of the final legalization of recreational marijuana use in public places (more on this below).
Pro Hospitality Group already owns the four-star Clarendon Hotel, located in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. According to the hotel’s website, it offers services to ensure a comfortable stay for all cannabis enthusiasts. The hotel features a lounge area where guests can consume cannabis, as well as rooms where vaping, dabbing, and smoking flower are permitted. The hotel administration is currently working on a “cannabis transfer” service, which will transport guests to and from cannabis dispensaries.
It appears that similar services and accommodations will be available at the Artisan hotel in Las Vegas.
The Status of Cannabis in Nevada
Recreational cannabis use became legal in Nevada on January 1, 2017. Currently, residents and visitors are allowed to possess up to 1 ounce (about 28 grams) of marijuana and grow up to 6 plants if they live more than 25 miles (about 40 kilometers) from the nearest cannabis shop. However, public consumption of cannabis remains prohibited.
In June 2021, the governor of Nevada signed a bill allowing for the issuance of licenses to open standalone cannabis lounges, where visitors can openly consume cannabis, as well as tasting rooms at cannabis shops where customers can sample products. Although the law is in effect, specific regulations have not yet been developed. As a result, there are currently no operating standalone lounges or tasting rooms in Nevada.
Until lawmakers resolve these issues, the only legal venue for recreational cannabis consumption in Nevada remains the local Native American community. Native tribes are able to bypass federal and local laws because they have exclusive sovereignty over land they own.