PRAIRIE ISLAND, Minn. — Southeast Minnesota’s first recreational cannabis dispensary will be opening this weekend
Island Peži , located in the Prairie Island Indian Community, will hold its grand opening on June 29, next to the Dakota Station convenience store in Welch, Minnesota — 13 miles west of Red Wing.
Island Peži — pronounced “pay-zhee” and meaning grass in the Dakota language — is located across the street from Treasure Island Resort and Casino. It is about 46 miles north of Rochester and 40 miles southeast of the Twin Cities. Island Peži will be the fourth cannabis dispensary in Minnesota.
“As Dakota people, we view cannabis as a medicine. So being able to help people with the needs that they have is going to be awesome,” said Blake Johnson, the president of Prairie Island CBH Inc.
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.