Mayor Sarno Announces Proposals Selected to Begin Phase II Host Community Agreement Negotiations for New Marijuana Establishments in the City

Springfield, MA – Mayor Domenic J. Sarno announced today the proposals selected to begin Phase II Host Community Agreement (HCA) negotiations for new potential marijuana establishments in the City.  All proposals were independently reviewed and ranked by the City’s Internal Review Committee and selections were based on the ranking of comparative selection criteria and submittal requirements.

 

Mayor Sarno states, “First of all, many thanks to our whole Internal City Department’s Review Committee, especially to independent expert consultant Attorney Julie Steiner, Deputy Procurement Officer Theo Theocles, City Councilor Tracye Whitfield, and Chief of Staff Tom Ashe for their many hours of complete and thorough work. Based on the Review Committee’s recommendation, which considered criteria regarding traffic congestion, public safety, financial wherewithal, non-adverse effects to our neighborhoods/business district areas, proper land use issues, geographical issues and our sensitivity to diversity aspects.  Again, as with our first phase this was a fair, efficient, open, and transparent process.  I have selected the following entities, respecting the committees top ranking order to the ‘T’, to move forward in this second round with an eye to expand social equity opportunities.”

 

Those entities selected include:

 

Retail

1. Primus – 666 State Street (Equity Applicant)
2. Lemonade Springfield – 595 Main Street (Equity Applicant)
3. 732 Cottage Street – 732 Cottage Street
4. KUR Retailers – 461 Boston Road
5. Diem Springfield – Eastfield Mall
6. Enlite Cannabis – 459 Main Street, Indian Orchard (Equity Applicant)

 

Cultivation

1. Page Cultivate – 299 Page Blvd

 

Transportation

1. American Transport – 200 Taylor Street

 

Courier

1. Tree N’ Brick – 1860 Main Street

 

 

“I will now start negotiations with each of these entities on a Host Community Agreement to then be sent to our City Council for their review and approval,” Mayor Sarno added.  “If and when approved, it will then go to the State Cannabis Commission for even more vetting, especially on finances for their approval or disapproval.”

 

Attorney Steiner stated: “The City has devoted appropriate resources to a thorough and open process. The Mayor created an 11-member selection committee composed of a diverse set of administrative experts. These members devoted significant time to reviewing the applications based upon a neutral evaluation of the selection criteria.  As a result of this process, all candidates selected have demonstrated that they meet the equity, health, safety and welfare criteria of the City of Springfield, and I congratulate them on their selection for Host Community Agreements.”

 

Deputy Procurement Officer Theocles added, “The City’s RFP review committee, after carefully reviewing all submitted proposals, has completed its evaluations and have forwarded them to the Mayor for his review and recommendations.  The Committee was very impressed with the level of detail and enthusiasm that was contained in the proposals and it is clear that Springfield continues to be a desirable business destination.  I am grateful to the committee for all of their subject matter expertise and efforts, and am looking forward to negotiating favorable Host Community Agreements with the Mayor’s recommended proposers.”