DELAWARE- Delaware’s marijuana licensing process is entering a critical phase, with 529 applicants moving forward to the lottery stage for the Open Retail License.
The lottery will be held on Dec. 19, and will be broadcast on Facebook starting at 1:00 p.m. from Dover. The event is expected to conclude by 2:00 p.m.
The lottery will determine which applicants from New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties will advance. A total of 15 Open Retail Licenses are up for grabs, with the following breakdown of applicants:
- New Castle County: 210 applications for 7 available licenses
- Kent County: 151 applications for 3 available licenses
- Sussex County: 168 applications for 5 available licenses
Applicants who pass the initial qualifications and have paid their application fees will receive a unique lottery number. The lottery numbers for each county will be drawn separately and revealed during the live broadcast. A press release will follow, outlining the selected applicants.
After the lottery, the OMC will contact the winners and guide them through the Supplemental Application Process, moving them closer to obtaining their Conditional Licenses. Active licenses, which allow business operations to begin, will be issued once all legal requirements are met.