Denver hotel The Patterson Inn seeks permit for marijuana lounge

DENVER — The city has given the green light for a Denver hotel to move forward with plans for a marijuana smoking lounge. 

The Patterson Inn in Capitol Hill was the first business to apply for a license under Denver’s new marijuana hospitality program. Owner Chris Chiari said he wants to turn it into a marijuana bed and breakfast. 

He said hotel guests will be able to buy day passes to the smoking lounge for $4.20, and they can bring a friend for an additional $7.10.

He said the goal is to encourage safe marijuana consumption for tourists.

“By having the open dialogue with concierge and innkeepers when you check in, we hope consumers will make smarter decisions and take the advice of ‘start low and go slow,’ and experience and experiment, if that’s their interest, without going too far and leaving with a bad experience, a bad impression, or a desire to never engage again,” he said. 

The daily passes will not be available to non-guests, but annual passes will be available for purchase. Annual passholders will have to call to make a reservation at the smoking lounge. Chiari said guests will have to bring their own marijuana. 

“This is going to get tourists off our sidewalks, out of our parks, out of their cars, and into a space that complements and is accessory to hospitality,” he said. 

Chiari said the next step in the city’s licensing process is to conduct public hearings. Those are expected to happen sometime in the third week of February. 

If all goes according to plan, Chiari hopes to have the new lounge up and running by late fall or early winter.

Denver City Council passed a bill allowing for marijuana hospitality licenses in April.

RELATED: Social equity plan for marijuana delivery, hospitality businesses in Denver OK’d in final vote

RELATED: Past conviction offers couple new opportunity to deliver marijuana in Denver

RELATED: Here’s how much marijuana tax money Colorado collected in 2021

SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Latest from 9NEWS