South Dakota tribe to open nation’s first marijuana resort

A Native American tribe in South Dakota is planning on opening the nation’s first marijuana resort on its reservation.

The Santee Sioux, a small tribe of 400, is planning on adding a marijuana resort to its already successful 120-room hotel and a 240-head buffalo ranch business setup, according to The Associated Press.

However, with the lingering effects of the Great Recession still being felt, the Santee Sioux tribe has looked to other means of making money beyond the economic opportunities provided by casinos.

Santee Sioux leaders plan to grow their own pot and sell it in a smoking lounge that will also feature a nightclub, arcade games, bar and food service, and eventually, slot machines and an outdoor music venue as well.

“We want it to be an adult playground,” tribal President Anthony Reider told the AP. “There's nowhere else in American that has something like this.”

Marijuana was legalized on a href=http://www.santeesioux.com/fsst_legalizes_marijuana.html>Santee Sioux land in June, and the tribe hopes to use the money generated from the marijuana resort for community services and provide a monthly income for tribal members.

Work is already underway on the growing facility, and if successful, the tribe believes the project could generate up to $2 million a month in profit, according to the Associated Press.

The first joints are expected to go on sale Dec. 31 at a New Year's Eve party.