Las Vegas Paiute Tribe plans medical marijuana businesses

LAS VEGAS (AP) – The Las Vegas Paiute Tribe is planning to open two medical marijuana dispensaries as well as a cultivation and production facility by the end of the year.

Las Vegas Paiute Council Chairman Benny Tso says the tribe has partnered with an Arizona medical marijuana company to develop and manage the business. Tribal leaders held a groundbreaking ceremony at the Las Vegas Paiute Indian Colony on Monday.

The tribe already runs a smoke shop downtown, which will be linked to one of the dispensaries.

The dispensaries will be built over six to nine months during a $5 million construction project.

The U.S. Department of Justice issued a memo in late 2014 that indicated tribes could grow and sell pot under the same guidelines as states that opt to legalize.