8:00 AM: Navigating Dispensary Locations: Zoning, Compliance, and Real Estate Strategies
Zach Wilson, Waabigwan Mashkiki LLC
Steve Dombrovski, Dombrovski Properties
Sally Kent Peebles, Vicente LLP
Jared Schroeder, Meta Commercial Cannabis
Derek Dittmer, Meta Commercial Cannabis
Moderator: Steve Dombrovski
- Navigating cannabis registration and zoning regulatory body
- Deal timelines and the importance of setting standards with the clients.
- Site Control Strategies: Comparing aggressive, conservative, and moderate approaches to securing dispensary locations, including lease vs. purchase considerations in a growing market.
- Letters of Intent and Due Diligence: Best practices for drafting LOIs and conducting due diligence, with cannabis-specific contingencies.
- Importance of listing agents improving landlords' understanding and allowance of cannabis, comparing it to liquor stores and/or tobacco stores
- License Types and Real Estate Implications: Updates on Minnesota’s licensing framework, including any 2026 adjustments to caps, timelines, and site-specific requirements.
- Municipal Expectations: Anticipating local government policies on cannabis real estate, emerging trends in zoning flexibility, variances, and public-private collaborations.
- The importance of vetting clients and ensuring they have funds and assets to qualify for leases.
8:55 AM: Building Operation Strategies for Cannabis Businesses.
Brad Obermueller, Center for Energy & Environment
Betsy Morem, SAX Advisory Group
Cory Lake, Lake Group Insurance
Kyle Marinkovich, Northern Diversified
Dan Price, BGM
- Location Selection Factors: Key considerations for cultivation, manufacturing, retail, and delivery sites, including utilities, transportation, and supply chain access in the maturing market.
- Site Suitability Assessments: Evaluating properties for cannabis-specific needs such as zoning compatibility, infrastructure, power capacity, and water access.
- Tenant Relations in Multitenant Properties: Managing conflicts and compliance in shared spaces, updated with current landlord-tenant regulations and best practices.
- Security and Safety Standards: Implementing Minnesota’s security requirements, including surveillance, access control, theft prevention, and tracking integration.
- HVAC and Building Upgrades: Retrofitting for energy-intensive operations while meeting 2025–2026 energy efficiency and environmental standards.
- Case Study: A successful 2025–2026 cannabis facility retrofit, addressing compliance with updated safety, environmental, and operational regulations.
- Regulatory Navigation: Best practices for aligning with the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) guidelines and any 2026 policy refinements.
- Emerging Tech Trends: Leveraging automation, IoT, and monitoring systems for efficient, compliant cannabis facility management.
9:50 AM: Break
10:10 AM: Important Legal & Financial Considerations for Cannabis in Commercial Real Estate
Carol Moss, Hellmuth & Johnson
Brent Lundell, North American Banking Company
Nicholas Valle, Winthrop & Weinstine
Kiera Wilson, Park State Bank
Moderator: Carol Moss
- Cannabis off-duty use protections limit workplace drug testing policies in Minnesota.
- Non-compete ban requires careful review and updating of employment contracts.
- Update workplace safety protocols for impairment risks in cannabis operations.
- Ensure compliance with confidentiality and non-disparagement agreement limits.
- Draft commercial leases addressing zoning, security, and operational compliance standards.
- Federal restrictions continue to limit access to traditional bank financing options.
- Review loan covenants that may prohibit cannabis tenants or related operations.
- Use alternative lenders along with sale-leaseback financing structures when needed.
- Conduct thorough due diligence on title, insurance, and regulatory compliance risks.
11:05 AM: Development, Construction, and Design Solutions in Cannabis Real Estate
Kevin Morelli, City of Anoka
Stan Ross, Design 2 Build, Inc.
Mike Pierson, Dering Pierson Group LLC
Moderator: Jared Schroeder
- 2025–2026 Market Trends: Identifying high-demand areas for cannabis retail, cultivation, and related uses, including urban, suburban, and rural opportunities amid steady market growth.
- Untapped Niches: Exploring micro-dispensaries, delivery hubs, event spaces, and other emerging cannabis real estate segments in Minnesota.
- Collaborative Development Models: Partnering with social equity licensees, municipalities, and tribes for compliant and community-focused projects.
- Sustainable Construction Practices: Incorporating current Minnesota energy codes, eco-friendly materials, and efficiency standards for cannabis facilities.
- Retrofitting for Cannabis Use: Cost-effective strategies for converting existing properties under updated building codes and OCM requirements.
- Investor Insights: Perspectives on financing cannabis projects, including banking challenges, federal developments, and alternative funding sources.
- Case Study: A 2025–2026 cannabis development project demonstrating sustainable design, regulatory compliance, and social equity collaboration.
- Regulatory Compliance in Design: Aligning with OCM facility standards, environmental regulations, and any 2026 updates.
12:00 PM: Adjourn & Networking