Paul Szydelko
Almost three years after the Nevada Legislature approved the on-site consumption of cannabis products at dispensaries or standalone lounges, Las Vegas' first regulated cannabis lounge has opened, giving tourists a legal way to consume for the first time.
Smoke and Mirrors, located on S. Sammy Davis Jr. Drive just west of Circus Circus and Resorts World, has a capacity of about 60 and features premium strains and infused cocktails. It is a project of the adjacent Thrive Cannabis Marketplace and consultant company Reset.
Christopher LaPorte, managing partner at Reset, describes Smoke and Mirrors as intimate, sophisticated and plush -- a callback to the smaller lounges for which Las Vegas was known before the era of mammoth nightclubs.
"This place is something that you're going to want to bring people to because it's just going to change the way people look at cannabis as a whole," LaPorte said. "There are elements of sophistication in the room. There's a focus on cannabis mixology, where we can broaden the scope of cannabis consumption where it's more than just smoking."
Music is another important component, he said. Guests can expect the sounds of the '60s and '70s, of course, but also deep cuts from the '80s and '90s in addition to more contemporary world music.
"I don't think there's anything more synonymous with cannabis than music," LaPorte said. "You go to good concerts, you probably smoke good weed. We want to make this venue a music-discovery space where we can tackle all forms of music that you can sit down and discover while discovering cannabis in new forms, as well."
The first of a handful of lounges in southern Nevada that are expected to open this year, Smoke and Mirrors is open from 4 p.m. to midnight on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and from noon to midnight Thursdays through Sundays.
LaPorte and business partner Scot Rutledge at Reset have been working on social-use lounge regulations with government agencies at least since 2017, when recreational cannabis use was legalized in Nevada. I talked to LaPorte before Smoke and Mirrors opened to get more insight about the challenges in developing a regulatory structure in the state and finally getting a license.
Q: Describe the sense of satisfaction in helping lounge this open?
A: We're thrilled that we've come to this time. We've seen the industry change so much, even over those seven years. And I'm almost happy that it's taken this long, only because we're really seeing the market open up to more of the nonstereotypical cannabis thought process around this industry. We're excited to be able to create something a little more high-end and elevated, something that probably only Vegas can do.
Q: What were the final hurdles in getting these lounges open?
A: The challenges to get here were simply because we don't know what this industry really looks like. There's still the stereotype of who a cannabis consumer is. Yet we see that as a billion-dollar industry in Nevada alone, that this touches on multiple markets and multiple demographics. What does this place look like? What does it feel like? What is it? Some of those [questions and answers] were difficult to translate to regulators.
There were a lot of questions as to how operators are going to ensure the safety of our patrons. In terms of [heating, ventilation and air conditioning] requirements, ensuring that it's not a giant, smoky cumulus cloud in the middle of the room. What are we doing to ensure that the space is comfortable to be in? It was finding those technologies to showcase how we make sure that the air is being recycled and cleaned.
And on top of that, understanding from an operational perspective, how do we guide [guests] to ensure safety, whether it's plans for rideshare or more importantly, the education piece? And how do you make it educational in a fun spot. Consuming the product doesn't have to just be smoking a joint or hitting a bong. There are all kinds of things that we can do with drinks and infused foods. We have all these great ideas, and we really wanted regulators to understand that there's so much opportunity for creativity. And that was hard to sell for a long time, because you have to really push against stereotypes that are still prevalent today.
Q: What about employee training?
A: It comes down to the communication. The most important thing that our staff is going to do is learn who their customer is. The training really is about asking questions and having an understanding on both sides as to the expertise or the experience that our consumers have. If they're novices, we're going to sit there and really explain to them the "low and slow" and the opportunity to try these different low-dose cannabis drinks.
With only a 60-occupancy room, it gives our staff the opportunity to spend time with those guests who just really want to get a guided experience where we can show [them] all the things that are out there and make it very comfortable for novices and experts alike.
Q: It's been a time-consuming, seemingly conservative way to create regulations. Is Nevada creating a gold standard on how lounges operate?
A: I believe 100% that from the inception of the conversations about social-use lounges to where we are today, while conservative perhaps, we probably have the best regulations in the country that will allow us to create that gold standard to your point.
We have a cannabis compliance board that we work very closely with that we could showcase things that are working, things that are not -- the same way casinos have a gaming control board. The biggest takeaway that I have from Nevada's regulations is the opportunity for entrepreneurs to create anything and provide various services and products that no other regulated market currently has.