For the first time since recreational pot was legalized in Colorado, a Denver-based company set up a mobile weed-smoking lounge at a festival.
And nothing went wrong.
The debut of HTBX LLC’s “hotbox” shipping container was a “smashing success” at the Crush Walls art festival in RiNo, owner John McCaskill said Monday. It was first of its kind since Denver voters approved social consumption marijuana licenses in 2016.
Officials from the city’s excise and licenses department as well as the state department of public health didn’t receive any complaints about the unit, spokespersons from both departments said. Denver police did not return a request for comment.
McCaskill has been working with city officials, state legislators and regulatory agencies since Denver voters approved the business licenses for cannabis consumption in designated areas. He applied for the city’s first special-event license for cannabis consumption in January and received the final stamp of approval just minutes before the festivities began Friday in the RiNo Arts District.
“There was a lot of head-scratching going on,” McCaskill said of first introducing the concept. The regulations were in place for brick and mortar locations and even temporary structures, but the mobile unit was different.
The 20-foot shipping container is transformed into a portable patio, the sides folding down to become a floor. An entire room slides out to provide space for open-air consumption of pot.
Although the permit said organizers expected 100 people to use the unit, more than 500 partook over the weekend, McCaskill said.
The city hired a special navigator to help with marijuana application and licensing, and the first special event licensing process was successful, said Bia Campbell of the city’s office of marijuana policy in excise and licenses.
“This is something that city of Denver voters voted for in 2016, so we’re just fulfilling the wishes of the voters,” Campbell said.
The goal of the mobile unit is to provide a space for those who want to socially consume marijuana, McCaskill said. And those who don’t like pot smoke know to avoid the area.
As far as McCaskill is aware, his is the only company in the country that’s offering shipping containers for marijuana smoking lounges.
HTBX LLC’s application also was approved for use in early November during Denver Arts Week.
