BMIC to compete for marijuana market share in Michigan Press Release
BAY MILLS — Bay Mills Indian Community will develop a community-owned marijuana business on its tribal lands across the state of Michigan.
This venture will be a vertically-integrated “seed to sale” business, with locations throughout Michigan. The operation will be licensed and regulated under tribal law, and proceeds will flow back to BMIC to benefit tribal members and community residents.
The first phase of the project will involve the conversion of tribally owned land, located south of Sault Ste. Marie, into a marijuana grow, process, and retail operation. The parcel identified includes 110 acres of land that will be converted into a facility that can house upwards of 10,000 marijuana plants and will provide dozens of new jobs to the local community.
It will take approximately one year for the initial planting to generate a product that can be brought to market. “As product nears being ready for sale, the second phase of the operation will involve the development of several retail establishments around Chippewa County, including near Bay Mills Resort & Casino,” said Aaron Schlehuber, BMIC in-house counsel.
As the community-owned business grows, Bay Mills intends to add new locations on its tribal lands throughout Michigan and promote individual and community empowerment. Ultimately, Bay Mills will work to develop an intertribal cooperative, where marijuana product(s) produced by Bay Mills are sold by other tribes at tribally-owned retail establishments throughout the state of Michigan to benefit their tribal members and community residents.
Currently, there are no tribally-owned marijuana businesses operating in Michigan under tribal laws, although there are several instances of privately-owned, for-profit marijuana companies operating on tribal lands in Michigan under a license from the State of Michigan. “Bay Mills Indian Community has developed businesses to generate revenues for our tribal government, and to benefit our citizens and community.
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the urgency for us to find new sources of economic opportunity for our people,” said BMIC Tribal Chairperson Bryan Newland. “We don’t begrudge anyone else who has found a different way into this industry. At the same time, Bay Mills has no interest in turning over our sovereign lands to private, for-profit corporations who are regulated and taxed by the State of Michigan.” The tribe intends to dismantle the social inequities that marijuana has placed on people of color for the decades by focusing on a business model that gives back to the surrounding communities. “Our operations will focus on marijuana that is community grown and community owned,” added Newland. In 2018, Michigan enacted the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act, which authorizes the growing and sale of marijuana products under a strict regulatory and licensing process.
The State’s laws, regulations, and tax structure do not apply to activities on tribal lands. In 2019, BMIC’s tribal citizens enacted tribal laws and regulations to authorize personal and commercial marijuana use on tribal lands. “The state limits growers and processors to a certain number of plants, places heavy taxes and fees on the product, and restricts the amount of product an individual can buy.
These are all things that Bay Mills is not bound by and we are looking at each of these areas as a built in advantage against the large corporate interests that have set up shop in Indian Country,” said Whitney Gravelle, BMIC in-house counsel. Bay Mills will announce details about its opening dates and partners as it continues to develop this project.