Hitting the green? Retail pot stores looking to cash in during U.S. Open

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. -- The U.S. Open is coming to Chambers Bay in just three weeks, and it means a big boost to our local economy. Local pot shops see the opportunity as well.

With the U.S. Open set to begin on June 15, the greens on Chambers Bay aren`t the only ones getting ready -- so are the ones 'World of Weed' will soon stock in its shelves.

“We were really pushing to get open for the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay,” said Alden Linn, general manger of World of Weed, a retail pot store expected to open next week.

Retail marijuana stores are one of the many industries expecting to cash in the week of the U.S. Open Championship, a topic Tacoma city leaders even mentioned in an April study session.

“Pot store owners are expecting a week`s of marijuana sales each day of the tournament,” said Tacoma City Council member Marty Campbell during that study session.

While retail marijuana store owners are excited about the increased business the U.S. Open will bring, they`re also trying to educate those out-of-towners and utilizing their security systems and staff.

“We`ve increased the security staff,” said Adan Yescas, a security consultant with Apache 6.

Apache 6 provides security specifically for retail marijuana stores, so the company is preparing to beef up its services.

“We know with that happening come June, our guys are going to need to be more alert and have traffic flows out of state and having a closer eye to the Liquor Control Board regulations,” said Yescas.

But also keeping an eye on those lighting up while in Washington will be law enforcement officers, who have this warning.

“If you think you`re going to come from out of state because marijuana is legal here and you`re going to the golf course, that`s not going to happen,” said Pierce County sheriff's detective Ed Troyer. “It`s illegal to smoke in public. It`s illegal to use in hotels ... so you better check the rules.”