Prairie Island to open first recreational cannabis dispensary in Southeast Minnesota

Sara Guymon, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
Updated ·2 min read

Mar. 21—PRAIRIE ISLAND, Minn. — The Prairie Island Indian Community is planning to open a cannabis dispensary later this year.

PIIC has launched a new business venture, Island Peži, a Native Cannabis Company to be located near Treasure Island Resort and Casino next to the Dakota Station convenience store in Welch.

Island Peži, pay-zhee, meaning grass in the Dakota language, hopes to open a dispensary to serve the recently legalized adult-use recreational cannabis market. They still need to obtain the proper Tribal licensing but are hopeful for a summer opening, according to a press release announcing the dispensary.

"Island Peži's entry into the cannabis industry hopes to create another avenue of economic diversification for PIIC and develop opportunities for the Tribe's members for generations to come," the release said.

As a sovereign nation, PIIC has enacted its own cannabis regulatory ordinance, which allows a comprehensive licensing and regulatory system to regulate cannabis within its jurisdiction. The Tribe says it is committed to the highest standards of operation through its cannabis regulatory commission. It is similar to the state's licensing and regulatory system function for the broader Minnesota market, which should open in early 2025.

On Aug. 23, 2023, Minnesota became the 23rd state in the United States to legalize cannabis use for people 21 and older.

The dispensary would be the first south of the Twin Cities and just the third in Minnesota. The state's first recreational dispensary opened in the Red Lake Nation — located in north central Minnesota — last year. The Bemidji Pioneer reported in February that Red Lake's dispensary, NativeCare, would be operated as a stand-alone business instead of tribal council control after allegations of theft.

Another marijuana dispensary opened in the White Earth Nation. White Earth Nation is located in west-central Minnesota, just north of Detroit Lakes.

Island Peži will open next to Dakota Station, the Tribe's convenience store and gas station. The Tribe is excited by the prospects of the cannabis industry for Indian Country and specifically what it will mean for Prairie Island, the release noted.

"Island Peži is a step forward in our efforts to diversify our economy and strengthen our Tribe's long-term financial sovereignty," Grant Johnson, Prairie Island Tribal Council president, said in the press release. "We're excited to be among the first to enter the cannabis market and create new opportunities for the future of our Tribe."