Cannabis consumption lounge proposed in Arts District

A proposed cannabis consumption lounge in the Arts District by Thrive Cannabis Marketplace, the same company behind Smoke and Mirrors on Sammy Davis Jr. Drive, is drawing some concerns from the downtown community.

The proposed lounge to be located at 1319 S. Main St., east of Colorado Street, will “feature a blend of local art, music, and carefully curated cannabis products, making it an immersive experience that reflects the culture of the Arts District,” said Thrive in a statement to the Review-Journal.

Neighboring businesses include HUDL Brewing Company, SoulBelly BBQ and Nevada Brew Works.

A special permit was issued to Main Street Tenant LLC, which will act as landlords for Thrive, during Wednesday’s city of Las Vegas Planning Commission meeting for its 5,833-square-foot lounge, with a 2,110-square-foot outdoor consumption area on Main Street. A six-month and one-year review will be imposed, contingent on when the business license is issued. The item will now go to the City Council on Oct. 16 for public hearing.

The consumption lounge will be attached to a Thrive dispensary, the other proposed tenant of the building. Thrive will not act as the operators of the lounge, but will be the cannabis supplier for the lounge and work closely with it.

Smoke and Mirrors, Thrive’s first cannabis consumption lounge in the valley, opened in February. They act as the operators, as well.

Community concerns

Becky Miller, president of the 18b Arts District Association, was present at the planning commission meeting to voice the concerns of the community, primarily over the scent of the cannabis smoke.

“The area is divided, pros and cons on this. A major concern is the smell at Share Apartments,” Miller said during the meeting. “We’re not going to say ‘no’, we’re just going to wait and see.”

Also present at the commission meeting was community member Mike Lynch, who said “when you smoke marijuana it drifts; it’ll drift through the whole neighborhood.”

Mike Brown, a representative for the lounge at the meeting, said 60 percent of cannabis consumption at Smoke and Mirrors is via THC-infused beverages and 40 percent is combustible, and he “believes that will carry over” at the Main Street location.

Brown said the fog system “emits water droplets, along with some other essential oils,” to “bring the odor down to the ground.” Additionally, the city still will have the opportunity to review the outdoor consumption area at the six-month and one-year review.

“We want to be harmonious with the community, and not have odors leaving the premises,” he said.

Sarah Collins, co-owner of Main Street Peddlers Antique Mall, which is about a block away from the proposed lounge, said she is OK with the lounge, as long as the rules and regulations are followed. Collins also serves as the treasurer of 18b Arts District Association.

“It’s a business like all others,” Collins said during the meeting. “I don’t think it will attract any criminal activity. It’ll be mostly tourists using the freedoms allowed to them in Nevada.”

There is no set opening date for the consumption lounge.

Emerson Drewes can be reached via email at edrewes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @EmersonDrewes on X.