The proponents of a marijuana retail operation in Rolling Bay have come up first in the state lottery for business licenses for Bainbridge Island’s sole pot shop.
The business, called Evergreen, filed for a retail license with the state on Jan. 1.
The Washington State Liquor Control Board posted the results of marijuana retail store lotteries on the public records section of its website Friday. Earlier this week applicants were notified of their standing on each ranked-ordered list produced by 75 lotteries.
State officials said an independent, double-blind process was used on April 21-25 to produce ordered lists of applicants that the agency will use to continue its retail licensing process.
Officials said 75 jurisdictions required a lottery, and 1,174 applicants were included in the lottery.
Bainbridge had three applicants for the island’s single retail license.
Evergreen, which has an address of 10320 NE Valley Road, was ranked first.
Ranked second was Sticky Finger Farms (8926 Miller Road); and ranked third was Bainbridge Highlands (8926 Miller Road)
The state contracted with the Social and Economic Sciences Research Center of Washington State University and the accounting firm for Washington’s Lottery, Kraght-Snell of Seattle, to independently produce rank-ordered lists of applicants in each jurisdiction where a lottery was necessary.
State officials said applicants who were highly ranked are not guaranteed to receive a license.
Applicants must meet multiple requirements to be licensed, including passing a criminal history check and undergoing a financial investigation.
Proposed retail locations must also not be within 1,000 feet of a school, park or other area specified by Initiative 502 as places where children congregate.
The State Liquor Control Board has started processing retail applications, and officials said licensing staff will continue to process producer, processor and retailer simultaneously.
As of April 30, the Liquor Control Board has issued 25 producer and processor licenses.
The agency expects to begin issuing retail licenses by the first week of July.
