Officials in the northwest Twin Cities suburb of Osseo are aiming to be the first in the metro to open a city-owned and operated cannabis dispensary when retail sales launch in 2025.
The city has already begun extensive planning and research to prepare for the application process and launch of a municipal cannabis business.
“We want to be ready to go as soon as the state opens up the application window,” said Osseo City Administrator Riley Grams at a late January city council work session.
The city is scouting potential storefront locations and developing detailed business and security plans to submit to state regulators when recreational cannabis license applications open, likely in 2024.
“Municipal or otherwise, we still want to be first to market,” said City Council Member Mark Schulz, citing the potential sales boost of being among the first dispensaries in the metro.
Osseo’s municipal dispensary would be a new endeavor, as the city currently does not operate any liquor stores.
The city plans to implement robust security measures including license plate readers and possibly facial recognition systems to safely handle the cash-only transactions.