53 winners of pot shop license lottery announced

  • Two more lottery drawings for 130 additional state marijuana licenses will be held next month,

    Two more lottery drawings for 130 additional state marijuana licenses will be held next month, Associated Press file photo

 
Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
 
 
Updated 7/30/2021 6:57 AM

Following a year of acrimony and delays, state officials have announced that 53 firms entered in the state's first pot shop lottery had earned the rights to 55 lucrative licenses.

The winners, selected from 626 finalists, include some firms already linked to the state's pot industry and what appears to be a host of new players. Two more lottery drawings for 130 additional licenses will be held next month, giving other firms in the pool of over 900 total applicants more opportunities to score.

 

Former state Sen. Rickey Hendon spent much of the past year advocating for himself and other social equity applicants, a designation created to bolster minority ownership in the white-dominated industry. All the fighting paid off, as his company, Westside Visionaries LLC, won a sought-after license in a region that covers Chicago.

• For the full story, visit chicago.suntimes.com.

Go to comments: 0 posted
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
 
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.