Society Elevated Cannabis Lounge Opens Near UNLV as Nevada Market Slumps

The CCB-approved lounge opens just ahead of 4/20 as Nevada's cannabis industry sees sales fall to $757.7 million.

Society Elevated, the state's first cannabis consumption lounge to open in two years, has welcomed its first customers near Paradise Road and University Center Drive in Las Vegas, just ahead of the annual 4/20 cannabis holiday. Approved by the Cannabis Compliance Board last week, the lounge is operated by the Grove Dispensary and its CEO Demetri Kouretas, who is betting that location and a bar-style atmosphere can succeed where a previous Las Vegas lounge failed.

Nevada's First New Cannabis Lounge in Two Years

Society Elevated received approval from the Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) last week and began welcoming customers just ahead of 4/20, the annual cannabis holiday. The lounge is located in a former pizza shop near Paradise Road and University Center Drive, west of UNLV and adjacent to the Thomas & Mack Center.

The site sits in the Las Vegas commercial area known for decades as the Fruit Loop, a neighborhood recognized for its LGBTQ+ businesses and entertainment attractions. The Nevada Legislature designated the area as a historic landmark last year for being a 'hub for activism, community-building and celebrations.'

Bar-Themed Atmosphere Sets Society Elevated Apart

Inside Society Elevated, customers will find several large sofas and plush chairs, a bar area, and a pair of large-screen televisions tuned to sporting events and other entertainment. The menu includes cannabis-infused cocktails and food items.

Kouretas, who previously operated traditional taverns in Southern Nevada, described the space as having a bar-themed atmosphere. He said the adjacent Grove Dispensary has been a 'high-volume, high-traffic spot,' adding, 'In our eyes, it definitely helps to draw customers to the consumption lounge.'

Location Seen as Key to Success After Previous Lounge Closed

Kouretas pointed to location as the central factor in the Grove Dispensary's decade of success. 'We are the first store as you come out of the airport. It's often the first stop for visitors before they head to the hotels,' he said. He believes the same principle applies to Society Elevated's prospects.

Another Las Vegas consumption lounge, Smoke and Mirrors, which operated inside the Thrive Cannabis Dispensary, closed last year after less than 12 months in business. Kouretas suggested that Thrive's location on Sammy Davis Jr. Drive, described as an industrial area somewhat off the beaten path for tourists, contributed to its closure. He also noted that the consumption lounge business cannot rely heavily on local customers, saying 'most of the customers will just purchase at the dispensary and bring it home.'

Nevada Cannabis Sales Decline as Industry Holds Steady on Jobs

Society Elevated's opening comes as Nevada's cannabis industry faces headwinds. Overall statewide cannabis sales declined 9 percent to $757.7 million in the 12 months that ended June 30, 2025. The drop led to a proportional decrease in tax revenue directed to the State Education Fund.

Despite the sales decline, employment in Nevada's cannabis industry has remained relatively stable, with between 17,000 and 18,000 workers — referred to as agents — registered with the CCB in the past year. Industry observers note that the flattened market is pushing business owners to place greater emphasis on operations and location strategy.

A Small but Growing Landscape for Regulated Lounges

Although state officials set the groundwork for dozens of regulated cannabis consumption lounges, Society Elevated is only one of two currently open under CCB oversight. Planet 13, located west of the Strip, operates the other state-licensed lounge in Nevada, called Dazed!, alongside other cannabis-related attractions at its facility.

A third consumption lounge, Sky High, is operated by the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe as part of its NuWu Cannabis Marketplace near downtown Las Vegas. However, because that location sits on tribal land, it falls outside the CCB's jurisdiction. The Paiutes oversee the facility through their own board under a compact with Nevada.

Grove Dispensary Marks 10th Anniversary Alongside New Venture

The launch of Society Elevated coincides with the Grove Dispensary celebrating its 10th anniversary. Kouretas credited the dispensary's long-term success primarily to its proximity to Harry Reid International Airport, noting that a steady stream of arriving visitors makes it a frequent first stop before travelers reach the Strip hotels.

The Grove is one of three dispensaries operated by Kouretas' company. With Society Elevated now open, the company is expanding beyond retail cannabis sales into the consumption lounge space at a moment when the broader Nevada market is under pressure.

What we know

• Society Elevated is the first cannabis consumption lounge to open in Nevada in two years, approved by the Cannabis Compliance Board last week.
• The lounge is located in a former pizza shop near Paradise Road and University Center Drive, west of UNLV and near the Thomas & Mack Center.
• Nevada statewide cannabis sales declined 9 percent to $757.7 million in the 12 months ending June 30, 2025, causing a proportional drop in State Education Fund tax revenue.
• Nevada's cannabis industry employed between 17,000 and 18,000 registered agents in the past year despite the sales decline.
• Smoke and Mirrors, a consumption lounge inside the Thrive Cannabis Dispensary, closed last year after less than 12 months in operation.
• Planet 13, west of the Strip, operates the other CCB-licensed consumption lounge in Nevada, called Dazed!
• The Las Vegas Paiute Tribe operates the Sky High consumption lounge at NuWu Cannabis Marketplace near downtown Las Vegas on tribal land, outside CCB jurisdiction.
• The Nevada Legislature designated the Fruit Loop area near Society Elevated as a historic landmark last year for being a hub for LGBTQ+ activism, community-building, and celebrations.

Why it matters

Nevada's cannabis industry is navigating a significant sales slump, with revenues falling 9 percent to $757.7 million in the most recent annual period. The opening of Society Elevated near UNLV represents one of the few expansion moves in a contracting market and tests whether a well-located, bar-themed consumption lounge can attract the tourist traffic that eluded the now-closed Smoke and Mirrors. For Las Vegas, the lounge also brings new commercial activity to the historically significant Fruit Loop neighborhood, a designated state landmark.

What’s next

Society Elevated is currently open and welcoming customers, with its launch timed to coincide with the 4/20 cannabis holiday. The CCB continues to oversee the state's regulated lounge framework, which officials have laid the groundwork to expand to dozens of locations. The cannabis industry's next annual sales figures, covering the period ending June 30, 2026, will offer a clearer picture of whether the market decline is stabilizing.

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