Where else but Coachella would a massive, 500,0000 square foot, $54 million multi-functioning marijuana facility begin to break ground?

Technically speaking, Cathedral City in the Coachella Valley, but it's all sort of the same. Outside of the wealth in places like Palm Springs and Palm Desert. The Valley itself is an area long associated with a struggling economy. One city, Desert Hot Springs, is even bankrupt. High unemployment, a struggling agriculture industry (It is the desert, after all) and a host of other issues have long plagued the community.

But thankfully, they’ve always been on the legal pot train.

Desert Hot Springs was the first municipality to vote for full legalization. Luckily, the measure passed and a large Canadian weed conglomerate, Sunniva Inc, has finally broken ground on the facility, according to local report. The annual tax revenue, $5 million from this one facility, will encompass city's entire annual budget. Also, 100 local jobs are expected to become available once construction is complete. There will be grow space for 187,000 lbs a year, plus its own retail store on premise. It will be roughly the size of eight football fields, with Canadian cannabis giant Sunniva backing the whole play.

Local non-for-profits, such as Smooth Transitions, an organization offering vocational training for paroled offenders, are using the facility as an opportunity to get convicted felons a minimum wage job and training for future employment.

This has all the makings a pot boomtown. Nearby, another facility encompasses 187,000 square feet of grow space, and the more lenient regulations in the area come with the promise of more. Who knows? In a few years, it could put Humboldt to shame.





