Secretary-Treasurer Visits Eastern Cherokee Cannabis Operation In Preparation for LCO Program

By Joe Morey

News Editor

Secretary/Treasurer Trepanier after presenting the Proclamation of Support to the EBCI Tribal Council, speaking with EBCI Principal Chief Michell Hicks.

LCO Secretary-Treasurer Bill Trepanier presented a proclamation of support to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) while visiting the Tribe to tour their brand-new cannabis operations. His trip was to gain knowledge and insight for the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribe and their future cannabis endeavors.

Trepanier said he visited the EBCI Tribe on the opening weekend of their adult-use sales, Sept. 5 through Sept. 7, which saw sales reaching $1,000 per minute.

“They have a top-notch operation and the team who set it up for them said they would come here to LCO and do the same,” Trepanier stated. He noted the team consists of attorneys, horticulturalists and engineers.

Trepanier told LCO News that since he was elected, he has been working closely on future cannabis operations for our Tribe, but “I didn’t know where I was going with it, such as, how are we going to begin, what path should we take. Cultivate, sell, test, etc, what do we do? But now that I met this team and learned how they’ve helped other Tribes, it’s a no-brainer where I’m going with this. What they’ve done with other Tribes is remarkable.”

Trepanier said the first step now is to approve a Cannabis Ordinance and set up our own regulations.

“We need to show the state of Wisconsin and our local community how tightly we will run things,” Trepanier explained.

Trepanier has been doing a lot of research and background work preparing LCO for a future operation whether it be cultivating or sales, or both.

“I started working on this in February and I’ve been doing a lot of work in the trenches,” Trepanier said. “It’s a very complicated process and there is so much involved, but now since visiting EBCI, things are becoming much more clearer.”

Trepanier said his trip to EBCI has helped him understand what is needed for LCO to make advancements in cannabis financially and structurally. He said the EBCI model provides a pathway for our Tribe to succeed.

Part of Trepanier’s trip to EBCI was to show support for their cannabis operations. The LCO Tribal Governing Board (TGB) unanimously approved a proclamation of support, which Trepanier read before their tribal council.

Similar to LCO, the EBCI Tribe resides within a state where cannabis is illegal. The difference is that they are not a Public Law 280 Tribe, so they have their own law enforcement processes. Trepanier said this is why it’s important to have a very strong cannabis ordinance in place if the Tribe should decide to move forward with their own cannabis operation.

Trepanier told LCO News he favors passing the ordinance and moving forward without waiting for the state of Wisconsin to make cannabis legal.

“We are a sovereign nation, and we need to stress that,” Trepanier said. He explained as a PL 280 Tribe, the local sheriff’s department is responsible for our law enforcement and that they could patrol the county highways through our reservation, but we could still maintain a cannabis operation and they wouldn’t be able to prevent it on federal land.

“The sheriff could decide to wait at the border and pull people over as they leave the Reservation, but we hope to work with him and show him our plan, that it’s strong, safe and addresses our use of best practices when it comes to regulation and compliance,” Trepanier noted.

Proclamation

On February 12, 2024, the LCO TGB voted to repeal Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Code of Law GNC.4.4.060 its entirety as it relates to the civil penalties for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, effectively decriminalizing marijuana. This was a first major step in our move towards a cannabis operation.

The EBCI voted on August 5, 2021 to legalize medicinal marijuana and further expanded their medical marijuana ordinance to include adult-use marijuana through the passage of Ordinance No. 63 (2023) on June 6, 2024.

The EBCI Tribe resides in Cherokee, North Carolina and since legalizing marijuana, congressional senators from the state of North Carolina issued a letter to several state and federal officials on March 1, 2024, urging their response and action against EBCI’s rights to govern within their sovereign authority.

To show our support, Trepanier read a proclamation which commended EBCI for their decade-long diligence in researching the potential medical benefits of marijuana and their drafting of a marijuana ordinances that establishes high quality best practices for the regulation, compliance, safety, management, operation, and harm reduction protocols of marijuana.

“The LCO Tribal Governing Board hereby applauds the EBCI’s efforts to create a regulated market that prioritizes public health and safety while providing community engagement, workforce development, employment opportunities, and economic expansion for their community, underscoring the importance of sovereignty, self-determination, and the right of tribal nations to manage their resources and economic futures.

“The LCO Tribal Governing Board hereby extends its unwavering support and solidarity with EBCI in their launch of adult-use marijuana sales, as this initiative represents a significant milestone for Indigenous communities across the United States, demonstrating the potential of cannabis as a catalyst for economic development, healthcare improvement, and the assertion of tribal sovereignty.

“The LCO Tribal Governing Board hereby calls upon the elected Congressional representatives from the state of North Carolina to irrevocably and unequivocally respect EBCI’s inherent sovereign power of self-government and full authorization to adopt laws and regulations for the general government of their Tribe.”

EBCI Operation

Left: Secretary/Treasurer Trepanier, Forrest Parker, and Thi Le at the VIP event. Right: Darian Stanford, Thi Le, and Secretary/Treasurer Trepanier by the framed Proclamation of Support in the GSCC dispensary lobby.

Qualla Enterprises LLC is the exclusive business entity licensed by the EBCI for cannabis operations, which operates under a board of directors. Qualla operates Great Smoky Cannabis Company (GSCC).

The LCO Tribe’s Cannabis Consultant, Thi Le, also went to visit the EBCI operation and she provided a report to the TGB.

There are about 160 staff who work in the facilities as managers, cultivators, trimmers, and packagers (note: these are not their official titles). GSCC employs adults of all ages (over 21) and over 80% of staff are EBCI Tribal members. They intend to increase the number of staff to 600 once they are operating at full capacity. The number of job applications exceeds 1,500 and their staff turnover is essentially null.

Left: Qualla Enterprises LLC General Manager Forrest Parker addresses staff at their luncheon. Right: Secretary/Treasurer Trepanier gives a speech to staff honoring their dedication and historic achievements.

“GSCC is vertically integrated as they own and operate all their cultivation, processing, extraction, product formulation, R&D, packaging, and retail sales. Plant and product testing is conducted by an independent third-party through an exclusive contract with GSCC,” explained Le. “It is an incredibly huge undertaking but they’ve developed very proficient systems and processes that streamline their operations.”

She went on to state all of their cultivation takes place at the Coopers Creek farm. Most of their cultivation is outdoors in hoophouses. Between their 74 hoophouses and two outdoor plots there are over 100,000 plants growing at any given time.

Left: One of 74 hoophouses. Right: Thi Le and Secretary/Treasurer Trepanier in a hoophouse.

GSCC dispensary building and ID Check in the lobby. Photos from Angela Wilhelm/Citizen Times (24/8/8).

“In the summer they typically yield 1,000 lbs per harvest (6-7 hoophouses). In the winter the yields are generally lower at about 40 lbs per harvest,” Le said.

All drying and processing, and packaging of all products is done on the farm as well.

“All of their plants and products are tested at least 5 times as they move through each phase,” Le noted. “Testing is conducted by an independent, third-party laboratory located on Coopers Creek farm who maintain an exclusive contract with GSCC.”

Le explained the GSCC dispensary building is the former bingo hall and located about one mile from Harrah’s Casino. The front and west facing portion of the building was converted into the dispensary floor, product inventory, drive-thru, and order fulfillment areas while the other sections are used as offices and conference rooms. Upon entering there is the ID Check, area to enter the product floor, budtender stations, cashier, merchandise area, and order pickup. The dispensary offers unique features, such as a kitchen and display room, that enhance the overall experience. They also offer online ordering for scheduled in-store pick up.

GSCC dispensary kitchen. Photos from Angela Wilhelm/Citizen Times (24/8/8).

“Total dispensary area is 63,000 square feet and the retail area is 10,000 square feet,” Le said. “Back area with inventory and fulfillment is 5,000 square feet. They offer 300 different products.”

The GSCC dispensary features a full kitchen where culinary chefs prepare non-infused samples of the edibles they sell.

“In addition to being a unique feature, patrons are able to interact with the actual people who create the edible products they consume. This was something I haven’t seen in many dispensaries,” Le reported.

She went on, “A unique and captivating feature is their display flower room. Most people haven’t seen a marijuana plant growing unless they are in the industry. Many people stopped by this feature to take photos and speak with GSCC staff about cannabis, which was really inspiring to see.”

To mitigate an overflow of traffic inside the dispensary, there is a drive-thru able to service patrons who prefer this convenience. Patrons remain in their cars while budtenders walk up to them, verify their ID, and take their order. Orders are paid for and picked up at the window. The drive-thru opens earlier and closes later than the dispensary floor, offering extended hours without exhausting staff resources.

EBCI Opening Day

Not only did Trepanier read the proclamation to their tribal council, he was also invited to attend a luncheon for staff and VIP guests the day before sales opening where he read LCO’s support for them. Trepanier shared a few words with them and presented a framed copy of the proclamation for the dispensary.

Prior to opening for medical sales in April, they invited local law enforcement to tour the facilities. They anticipated no real threats or interference from law enforcement on the day of adult-use sales, Le noted.

“The GSCC dispensary’s grand opening of adult-use sales was an overwhelming success. Staff were prepared, lines were constantly flowing, and minor challenges were mitigated in a timely fashion,” Le said. “The first person lined up at 1am, more began flowing in around 6am. By the opening at 10am there were over 100 people in line. This remained the case for the entire day.”

She said drive-thru lines were equally busy. There were no reported negative or concerning interactions with law enforcement. They helped direct traffic in the roads.

“While GSCC continues to make history by operating as a legal marijuana company in a state that has not legalized marijuana, there are many more developments to come,” Le said, which include a consumption lounge – GSCC is constructing an indoor consumption lounge that will allow patrons to enjoy their products after purchase.

“GSCC is also expanding their cultivation by increasing the number of hoophouses and outdoor cultivation plots. They also intend to build out indoor cultivation facilities for more premiere flower,” Le said.

She also noted GSCC is uniquely positioned in the Tribal cannabis industry as the only Tribe operating within a state that has not yet legalized. There is great potential for them to offer consulting services and business development to other Tribes who seek to venture into cannabis cultivation, Le reported.

“There are several key factors in the success of EBCI’s marijuana program. One is the strategic partnerships they formed. Their planning and evaluation of this endeavor was professionally informed using data analytics, industry professionals, and community support/engagement.”

Closing remarks

Thi Le provided some closing remarks in her report. She stated the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians set an incredibly high standard for marijuana regulation and operation, particularly through exercising sovereignty.

“Their due diligence of best practices for compliance, quality assurance, safety, and community engagement is well documented through their passage of multiple resolutions, conduction of referendums, and practices of transparency. Our meetings and tours with EBCI Tribal Council, the cultivation farm, dispensary, and consultants were extremely enlightening and inspiring. Not only were their systems comprehensively thought out, they were designed to uphold the tenets of sovereignty, industry longevity, and community service.”

Le said she was overwhelmingly impressed by the dedication and passion of everyone involved in this venture and extremely humbled by their willingness to share resources to support LCO.

“I recommend we maintain a strong relationship with EBCI to support their efforts as they continue to advance cannabis and/or face challenges along the way,” Le said.