DENVER -- A historic hotel in Denver's Capitol Hill neighborhood says it will try to get permission to allow guests to consume cannabis in a social setting.
Some have said the Patterson Inn is one of the most haunted hotels in Denver. While many guests come to experience the supernatural, the Patterson hopes travelers will soon come for cannabis, too.
"I think it's definitely a cool setting because of the haunted past and the rich history and the spirits that live within the building," general manager Scott Allen said.
The Patterson wants to transform a room into a marijuana friendly space. However, the Patterson is in a zone that prohibits cannabis lounges.
Still, owner Chris Chiari is fighting to open one at the hotel.
"My intention is a coffee shop -- a place where you can get a light snack, a place where you can enjoy a non-alcoholic beverage and consume cannabis in a responsible adult environment," he said.
The current social consumption ordinance prohibits marijuana lounges within 1,000 feet of schools, rec centers and public pools.
Chiari said city administrators have overstepped their authority by placing too many restrictions that went beyond the voters' will.
But a city spokesman said that was not the case.
“When they voted for social consumption in Denver, one of the key aspects was a 1,000-foot restriction from schools. And the intent was to protect children from the exposure to cannabis," said Eric Escudero, a spokesman for the Denver’s Department of Excise and Licenses.
Chiari said he and his attorneys will ask a judge to decide whether the city went too far.
