LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Denver-based cannabis lounge is looking to expand its operations to Las Vegas — but it comes at a time when cannabis lounges here have struggled to find their footing.
It's called Cirrus Social Club.
It opened in Denver in 2025 and has served more than 50,000 guests.
The founder, Arend Richard, said he's excited to bring the concept of a high-end social experience with cannabis to the Las Vegas Valley.
It's one of a few places in the country it's allowed, but valley cannabis lounges have faced difficulty navigating the local market along with the rules and regulations to stay open.
"It doesn't make me nervous at all. I think it's the same circumstances that we entered the market in Denver. Denver itself is kind of in a downturn of cannabis market for the last several years, so we kinda came into this market when everybody was like, 'What are you doing? This market's going down,' but I think the differentiator for Cirrus is that we are a hospitality business," Richard said.
The plan is for it to open in the fall of next year at 4240 W. Flamingo Road. That's the address for the Cookies dispensary, right across from the Palms, begging the question of what will happen to it.
"Great question. I can't comment on any of the other business operating at that address. I can just talk about what we're going to be building within it," Richard said.
Channel 13 reached out to Cookies but did not hear back by the deadline.
As for Cirrus Social Club, Richard told me success comes down to creating a space where everyone feels comfortable — so much so that he follows what he calls the "Nana Rule": make it a space you'd feel comfortable bringing your grandmother.
He also said there's going to be an added benefit for Las Vegas locals.
"In Las Vegas, and this is one of the first things I'm sharing about this. We are going to have a section of the building that is a members only lounge, so while we will have a main section of the lounge that will allow everyone to come in, we will also have a members only lounge for our Las Vegas locals and regular visitor," Richard said.
The cost of that membership hasn't been finalized, but Richard said the Denver membership currently runs $50 a month.
The expansion is expected to bring between 120 and 150 jobs — more than double the staff in Denver.
That could be an option for students of the cannabis certificate programs through UNLV.
