Pubdate: Wed, 10 Oct 2012
Source: Colorado Springs Independent (CO)
Copyright: 2012 Colorado Springs Independent
Contact:  http://www.csindy.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1536
Author: Bryce Crawford
note: headline is web only.

CannaBiz:

IS THE WAL-MART OF WEED NEAR?

Change the Game

One Colorado Springs entrepreneur I found advertising on Craigslist 
thinks he sees the future of medical marijuana, and it's big - the 
grow space, that is.

"I think that anybody who doesn't have [at least] 5,000 feet of 
production facility is doomed to fail, because they just can't 
compete," says the man, who wishes only to be identified by the first 
name Chris (though the Indy has confirmed his identity).

"There is no question that this is a business about the 
well-capitalized," he says in a phone interview. "This is not a 
business for mom-and-pop shops - they just can't compete. And in the 
long run, I just don't see any hope for them.

"We've already lost 40 percent of the original businesses, either 
[through them] consolidating into something else or just going out 
altogether. So I predict that trend's gonna continue: We're gonna see 
mass consolidation, where retail stores get gobbled up by big grows."

To plan for that end, Chris, a man in his 40s who also works in the 
advertising industry, is looking at opening a series of centers and 
large grow operations, over 10,000 square feet each - or one large 
equivalent grow - at locations across southern Colorado, likely to 
include the Springs. A name for the company hasn't been chosen yet, 
but that, as well as the first opening, will hopefully come before year's end.

The most interesting stuff, however, is the company's goals: to grow 
higher-than-current-quality cannabis; to use only natural methods, 
such as ladybugs, to combat pests; and to eventually drive the price 
into the floor.

"You try to find me a [center] that can serve you, consistently, an 
inexpensive product at high quality, 'cause I can't find one - I have 
been to every store in the Springs, and frankly it doesn't exist," 
says Chris. "They all want to charge $35 an eighth, and their product 
is inferior.

"So, current production costs vary anywhere from $700, on down to 
$400, a pound. So as we approach $500 production costs and lower, it 
will be our intent to tighten the margin, so it's close to that $500. 
It should only cost $3.09 an eighth."

Chris is currently seeking individuals interested in lending money 
and can be reached at Institutional opposition

Tuesday brought backlash from local government, as both the El Paso 
County Board of County Commissioners and Colorado Springs City 
Council introduced resolutions opposing Amendment 64.

"There will be dramatic impacts at the county level, in terms of all 
of these services that we provide," says commissioner Amy Lathen in 
an interview. "And for that alone, and a myriad of other reasons, I 
am certainly opposed to this."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom