A remnant of the California Gold Rush, the town of Nipton, located on the border of California and Nevada, is now on track to become a singular haven for all things green. American Green, Inc., the largest publicly traded cannabis company in the U.S., announced that it has purchased the town and has plans to transform it into a cannabis tourism destination.

The ‘Epcot of Cannabis’

The company envisions a Marijuana-friendly community with pot farms, dispensaries, and bed-and-breakfasts for tourists to enjoy. Stephen Shearin, general manager and consultant to American Green, confirmed the project plans to Forbes, even comparing it to Epcot Theme Park at Disney World.

“It would also show other locales how cannabis roll-out can be when it's thoughtful, and how the provision of cannabis-friendly spaces can help people understand and participate in this economy and culture," Shearin said.

American Green purchased the 120-acre ghost town for $5 million and use the area as a production hub for cannabis-based products, starting with water infused with cannabidiol, also known as CBD. "The [idea] here isn't to create 'Woodstock 2017,'" Shearin pointed out. "It's about creating an environment where people come to work and share in a community."

Ultimately, American Green says it hopes to offer attractions including CBD and mineral baths, cannabis-product retail outposts, artists-in-residence programs, and various culinary events.

Interesting facts about Nipton, California

Nipton was founded on February 9, 1905, with the coming of the first train to the newly constructed San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad.

It was called "Nippeno Camp" following a nearby discovery of gold. The name was changed to Nipton when the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad merged with the Union Pacific Railroad around 1910.

Nipton was previously owned by Geologist Gerald Freeman, who bought the village in the 1950's. He and wife Roxanne Lang lived there until moving to Green Valley, a Henderson master-planned community, in the early 1990s.

Upon Freeman's death in 2016, his widow listed the town for sale. For $5 million, a buyer could have the land and the businesses, including the RV park in which nearly all the town's residents rent space.

Asked what her husband would think of the buyers’ plans to turn Nipton into a pot paradise, Lang made no impression of opposing to the project. "I think he would find a lot of humor in that," she told Time, adding that as a Libertarian, Freeman had no problem with people using marijuana, and as a proponent of green power he'd be all in favor of energy independence.

American Green has established an 18-month timeline and $2.5 million in investment for the development.
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