CASEY, Ill. (WTWO/WAWV) — Casey, known as “big things, small town,” will soon be home to a cannabis dispensary.
“We’re very thankful that the city of Casey has given us the opportunity to place this dispensary here. We think it’s going to be a great thing for this community,” Jake Brookhart, Security Manager Agent in Charge for Thrive said.”
The dispensary known as Thrive isn’t new to the Cannabis World.
“This dispensary for Thrive will be the closest to Indiana. We have other dispensaries which are south of here. Our largest is in Metropolis, IL. We have one in Mount Vernon. We have one in Anna… Jonesboro, and then we have one in Harrisburg,” Brookhart said.
Just 29 miles on I-70 from the Indiana State line or a 2-minute detour off the interstate, Mayor Mike Nichols says the dispensary will have a big economic impact on Casey.
Brookhart agrees, “It’s definitely going to benefit the city of Casey, the surrounding area. You will have a lot of interstate traffic coming in. You’ll have a lot of people that come to this down that will not only come to purchase cannabis but to do other things in the town.”
Clark County will now benefit directly from the cannabis sales in Casey. Friday, county board members vote to enact a county tax.
“The state allows us to put a sales tax for the county up on that cannabis. So, we voted today to put a 3% sales tax up on any cannabis sold in the county,” Rex Goble, County Board Chairman of Clark County said.
The 3% sales tax is in addition to the funding the county receives from the state.
“What we get from the state it is limited to drug programs of some kind,” Goble said. “Drug court or some drug prevention type program is what it’s limited to. This is not limited, so we can use it for other things.”
Before those tax dollars start rolling in, construction is underway.
“Right now, we have our temporary unit in place. Getting it ready and hopefully, we will have it up and running by September the 15th.”
A mobile bank trailer turned mobile dispensary will serve as the temporary business while construction continues on the permanent structure. Thrives hopes to have the permanent building completed and opened within the next six months.
“It will be a great benefit to this community,” Brookhart said.
Thrive leaders said they are working with the city to determine how they’ll contribute to the next big thing.
