Las Vegas is a cannabis industry hotspot for reasons that go beyond neon mystique. The city blends a massive tourism engine, permissive-but-structured regulation, and experiential retail that pushes the sector’s frontier—all within a single, highly marketable destination.

First, there’s scale. Las Vegas drew 41.7 million visitors in 2024 and hosted 6.0 million convention attendees, supported by 150,000-plus hotel rooms and 83.6% occupancy. Harry Reid International handled 58.4 million passengers the same year. That concentrated demand keeps dispensaries busy midweek and powers event-driven spikes on weekends. Adult-use sales have been legal since 2017, giving operators eight years to refine service for a global audience.

Second, Nevada’s regulatory and tax architecture is predictable enough for investment while still channeling public benefits. The state logged more than $829 million in taxable cannabis sales in FY2024, transferring nearly $108 million to the State Education Fund. The tax structure—15% wholesale excise and 10% retail excise—has been stable and well telegraphed, giving operators clearer modeling assumptions than in many peer markets. Predictability also encourages capital expenditures in large-format showrooms, vertically integrated production kitchens, and back-of-house logistics—investments that translate into deeper menus, faster fulfillment, and consistent quality control for a city where first-time visitors often become repeat customers.

Third, the retail ecosystem is built for destination shopping. Dozens of licensed stores operate in and around the Strip corridor, including 24-hour outlets that accommodate red-eye arrivals and late-night conference traffic. Planet 13’s “SuperStore,” a 112,000-square-foot flagship near the Strip, popularized immersive theatrics and helped make dispensary visits part of the tourist itinerary. Delivery and curbside options extend access beyond hotel-room schedules.

Fourth, hospitality is evolving toward on-premise experiences. State-sanctioned consumption lounges are coming online, led by Planet 13’s DAZED! lounge, which opened April 5, 2024, with curated canna-cocktails and VIP seating. Early entrants are still refining the model—Smoke & Mirrors, the first licensed lounge, later paused regular operations—yet the regulatory pathway exists and projects continue. Partnerships with entertainment hubs, such as AREA15 shuttle tie-ins to DAZED!, show cross-promotion between lounges and major attractions.

Fifth, Las Vegas is the industry’s annual B2B nexus. MJBizCon anchors the calendar at the Las Vegas Convention Center, drawing roughly 30,000 attendees and 1,400 exhibitors in 2024—an influx of founders, buyers, and investors who turn the city into a week-long deal floor each December. The show’s gravitational pull reinforces Vegas as the place where brands launch, retailers scout, and capital circulates.

Finally, the market benefits from lessons learned and data transparency. UNLV’s 2024 Nevada Cannabis Economy report documents falling retail prices, a shift toward infused pre-rolls, and location constraints (e.g., 1,500-foot buffers from gaming properties) that shape storefront placement near the Strip. That research—paired with the Cannabis Compliance Board’s live license lists and the Department of Taxation’s routine disclosures—gives operators unusual visibility into demand patterns and policy risk.

Put together, Las Vegas offers what few markets can: a steady flow of adult consumers, a regulated sandbox for hospitality innovations like lounges, and a critical mass of retailers and decision-makers convening year-round. Even as formats evolve, the fundamentals—tourism density, experiential retail, and a clear regulatory lane—explain why the city remains the cannabis industry’s most visible stage.