‘They didn’t follow the law’ Coachella city council talk cannabis pop-up shops & hotel expansion

Coachella’s very first hotel, being built on the corner of Avenue 48 and Van Buren Street, has delayed its opening. The owner and developer decided to expand the project.

Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez says he’s excited for the new plans.

“It went from the first phase, of 200, to now 400 rooms, as well as adding convention space,” Hernandez said.

The hotel plans were also made with an incentive development agreement according to Mayor Pro-Tem Betty Sanchez.

“We created an incentive package, and that included, at their request, a license for a dispensary,” Sanchez said.

The agreement was made before the city approved designated cannabis zoning areas.

“Eventually we were going to allow dispensaries. We knew that, but as part of the negotiation with the hotel, it was done prior to actually granting the zones,” Sanchez said.

Last month that promised cannabis shop opened early with a special events permit, which Sanchez says she knew nothing about and should not have been granted.

“They were issued administratively. Unfortunately, they didn’t follow the law on how it should have been issued, but we’re changing that moving forward,” Sanchez said.

The cannabis shop wasn’t the only shop to take advantage of the loophole. Two others also got special events permits to operate “pop-up” cannabis shops, including one owned by a former mayor of Coachella, Jesus Gonzalez, who was indicted on felony bribery and conspiracy charges back in the 1990’s. KESQ/CBS Local 2’s Lauren Coronado spoke with his business partner, Rick Bradford, who’s hoping to keep the shop running.

“Why don’t they let us stay open? We’ve been operating…We’ll be continuing to pay taxes, we’ll be employing people,” Bradford said.

Coachella has at least six applicants applying for long-term cannabis shops.