A couple months ago, White Earth Nation acquired a property in Chanhassen, Minnesota as the site of its next cannabis dispensary. Here is why that decision matters — and how it reflects the way we are building for the future.
- East Grand Forks, MNNewest location — ~200k residents within 50 miles
- Mahnomen, MNFlagship grow + dispensary on White Earth
- Moorhead, MNMinnesota's first off-reservation tribal dispensary
- Saint Cloud, MNCentral Minnesota
- Chanhassen, MNComing soon — the only dispensary in town
Identify strong markets, secure the right locations, negotiate disciplined deals, and position ourselves for long-term growth.
— Waabigwan Mashkiki
Chanhassen
Chanhassen is one of the most desirable markets in the Twin Cities, and the city has made a deliberate decision to limit the number of dispensaries it will allow. The Band secured one of those locations, owns the site, and leases it to Waabigwan — a durable foothold in a constrained, high-value environment. For the foreseeable future, we will be the only operating dispensary in Chanhassen.
East Grand Forks
We also secured a strategic new location in East Grand Forks — a deliberate investment to diversify our footprint and expand into a market with nearly two hundred thousand residents living within a fifty-mile radius. The same disciplined approach: identify opportunity early, secure the right location, and establish a strong presence in a high-traffic corridor.
An event space built for what’s next
The Chanhassen site includes an event space that positions us to host permitted events with onsite consumption under current Minnesota law. As the state considers extending that framework to allow daily onsite consumption, we will already be operating — while others are still working to secure locations and approvals.
How we build
This acquisition came together through a close partnership between Waabigwan Mashkiki, the White Earth Land Office, and tribal leadership — working together to identify the opportunity, vet it thoroughly, and move forward with confidence. The Band secured the purchase below the seller’s initial asking price, and consistent with standard practice, the transaction was structured so that the Band paid no broker fees.
From here, our focus shifts to execution: construction, hiring, and opening, and continuing to build a team that reflects the scale of this opportunity. Waabigwan Mashkiki exists to create real, durable economic opportunity for White Earth Nation and its people. Miigwech for your continued support.
