Fulton, Illinois' medical marijuana dispensary is under construction, and city officials are awaiting the expected economic impact.
This week, construction crews broke ground on the 3,150-square-foot facility, preparing the lot for the area's first and only medical marijuana dispensary. The facility will mostly serve people in Whiteside, Ogle, Lee and Carroll counties. In addition to the dispensary, two additional retail spaces will be available.
Fulton's mayor, Larry Russell, said the project brings a certain synergy to the area.
"It's really encouraging to see a major developer come into a fairly small lot, but hopefully they are successful and that will lead to other developments," Russell told News 8, as he stood on the empty lot where the development is happening at 1801 16th Avenue.
Because the site borders Route 84, roughly 10,000 to 12,000 cars pass by the area everyday, Russell informed News 8. The challenge, Russell said, is getting cars to stop in Fulton. He expects this project to help.
"Well, if they have some retail establishments here, restaurants and whatever else, it's just another reason to pull over and do a little commerce and generate a little sales tax," Russell said.
Fulton will also benefit from the businesses' property taxes.
Jeff Soenksen, the general manager of The Dispensary Fulton, wasn't available for an on-camera interview, but he told News 8 there was not a definitive opening date for the dispensary.
Soenksen, who said he has previous experience in the marijuana field during his time living in Colorado, moved back to Fulton to be closer with family.
Not only will the dispensary provide high-quality product for patients in need, Soenksen said, but it will also provide jobs for people in the area. Soenksen said he wasn't sure how many people they would need to hire, but they're currently accepting applications.
Applicants interested in applying can send their resumes to info@thedispensaryfulton.com.