The Prairie Island Indian Community is joining other Minnesota sovereign nations in opening an adult-use cannabis dispensary.
The dispensary is set to open this summer after getting its tribal licensure and approval.
It will join Red Lake Nation and White Earth Nation in opening a dispensary and will be the first to open in southern Minnesota.
As a sovereign nation, Prairie Island enacted its own cannabis ordinance, which allows licensing and regulation within its jurisdiction. The state’s system isn’t set to start until 2025.
The dispensary will be called Island Peži, which means ‘grass’ in the Dakota language.
“Island Peži is a step forward in our efforts to diversify our economy and strengthen our tribe’s long-term financial sovereignty,” Prairie Island Tribal Council President Grant Johnson said in a statement. “We’re excited to be among the first to enter the cannabis market and create new opportunities for the future of our tribe.”
Prairie Island also operates the Treasure Island Casino.
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