A shift is coming to the Western Slope as Grand Junction has passed its first ten licenses for recreational dispensaries to be opened in town.
The topic of having dispensaries within the city limits of Grand Junction has been hotly debated for years now with an ongoing back and forth between the citizens of Grand Junction and the lawmakers here. With all of Colorado becoming more progressive on the issue, it is only right that Grand Junction catches up now to thrive off of the benefits economically and socially that these dispensaries bring to every town they open up in.
There was briefly a dispensary in the late 2000s before a moratorium was enacted, banning dispensaries until 2021. This new development has considerable effects on the entire Western Slope as many other towns in the area have economically benefited from Grand Junction’s restricted market. Because many Grand Junction residents travel to towns such as Palisade and De Beque for their dispensaries, these new locations will certainly reduce their patronage once they are opened.
These ten licenses will be distributed from a merit-based approach, with long-standing dispensaries with good reputations being more likely to be granted a license than a newcomer to the business or a store that has proven unreliable or not making much of a profit.
This has caused a bit of a power struggle between the prominent dispensaries throughout the Western Slope as they all want a spot in Grand Junction and a shot at the lucrative business opportunities that lie here.
The Green Joint dispensary with locations in Glenwood Springs, Parachute and Rifle is a major contender, as their owner Dan Sullivan has been active in the discussions and process for a while. His stores also employ many Grand Junction residents who endure a long commute every day and the city appears to be gearing more favorably towards dispensaries that are employing Grand Junction residents and have a solid business structure.
There is a small resistance from the Horizon Drive Business Improvement District to putting a limit on the scale and noticeability of the signs that these new dispensaries will be using to advertise.
They have been speaking out in hopes that huge neon signs will not be erected in town similar to how many dispensaries beacon their location. Palisade has signage laws and many are hoping those are followed here as well. While the city has yet to make a decision on this issue, it has confirmed that at the very least no dispensaries will be built on Main Street.
Despite some negatives and a select few speaking out against this change, it does bring quite a bit of opportunity to Grand Junction. Ten new dispensaries will open countless job opportunities as well as provide a whole new stream of revenue to the city.
Mesa County representatives have stated that the marijuana industry means much more than just tax dollars. They value the beneficial effects it can have on the community, from medical patients to people of age who enjoy using marijuana to relax in moderation, to the jobs and services that the industry provides.
The shift in stigma regarding marijuana has brought more good than harm to this state and it is an important development for Grand Junction to catch up on as well. Make sure to keep an eye out as these licenses are distributed and we begin to see these new dispensaries in development.
