The Windy City is well on its way toward exhaling legal cannabis smoke.
On Friday, a medical marijuana farm and six dispensaries were granted initial approval by Chicago’s Zoning Board of Appeals. The board can approve up to 13 dispensaries for the city, but just one cultivator. Last month, three would-be dispensaries won special use permits from the board.
The farm and one of the dispensaries, both called Custom Strains, are owned by longtime Chicago businessman Perry Mandera, who runs a trucking company and a strip club.
He told the board on Friday that he’s recruited experienced cannabis professionals from Colorado and Michigan to help run both the grow operation – to be located on the south side of the city -and his dispensary, which will be in the West Loop part of downtown.
If the state signs off on the Zoning Board’s approval, Mandera plans to build a facility capable of producing 4,500 pounds of MMJ a year, along with a processing setup to allow his company to produce marijuana-infused edibles and topicals as well. Thus far, Mandera’s invested $10 million in the grow operation, he told the board.
This is the reason why illinois is hesitant about marijuana because these guys are just gonna bring in worjers from other states and give them jobs?
What about the residents from illinois?
I thought this was supposed to help create jobs for illinius residents?
Im not sure this guy should get a lisence at all
actually, that will create hundreds of jobs for that area. Labor, managerial, security, who knows what else will be a great lift to the community. Perry Mandera is bringing a great gift to your community. He’s spent over $10 million, it’s going to be a big facility
Well if you read the laws and rules Zoning had to be into the Dept no later than 60 days from when you put your application in. which means that Friday the 21 was the LAST day to get your zoning approved and to the state or your application was void…..
@patricmcnicolas
well there could be way more jobs that actually have something to do with the marijuana move ment that illinois residents will just sit on the sidelines just wishing they could feed there families. This illinois movement should of prohibit outside bigshots from comming in and monopolizing the mmj biz and putting there branding on it.
This dude dosent deserve the lisence whit there excluding illinois the get in on whats a billion dollar industry and the branding of whats going to be a huge franchise like Coke or budwiser.