Sunland Park Council Rejects Border-Side Cannabis Dispensary and Lounge Proposal
Sunland Park, NM (May 21, 2025) – The Sunland Park City Council has voted to reject a contentious proposal for a new cannabis dispensary and consumption lounge near the New Mexico–Texas state line. The decision, made at a packed council meeting this week, halts plans for the Cronica Cannabis Dispensary and an adjacent lounge that were to be part of a larger entertainment complex. Councilors denied the necessary zoning changes amid fierce public opposition, effectively blocking the project from moving forward for now.
Sunland Park residents and business owners wore matching T-shirts emblazoned with “Vote No to Cronica & Station X!” during the crowded City Council meeting, underscoring the breadth of community opposition to the proposed development. Dozens of locals, including neighboring El Paso Texans who crossed the state line to attend, voiced concern that the venue’s location and features would harm the community. “It may lead to increased noise, traffic, and public safety concerns,” one Sunland Park resident warned, questioning who would even have jurisdiction if an incident occurred so close to Texas: “Will it be New Mexico? Will it be Texas?” Many opponents argued the site was simply too close to the border, fearing cross-state complications and a strain on local infrastructure
Several local cannabis business owners were among those urging a “no” vote. Pablo Duran, owner of the Field of Dreams dispensary and a member of the Sunland Park Cannabis Coalition, worried that putting a cannabis lounge just feet from Texas, where marijuana remains illegal, could invite trouble. “We get along with El Paso. Why are we going to poke the bear?” Duran said, emphasizing that the plan’s proximity to Texas “will cause issues between Sunland Park and El Paso.” Another concern was the mix of uses planned at the site. Opponents pointed out that the development, known as “Station X”, sought to combine a marijuana dispensary with a smoking lounge, a bar, and an adult entertainment club on the same property. “Having a strip club, alcohol consumption, and cannabis in one location is too much for Sunland Park to handle,” Duran argued. This sentiment was echoed by others at the meeting who donned anti-Station X shirts and signs, urging city leaders to protect Sunland Park’s family-friendly image.
The proposed site lies at 3801 Emory Lane in Sunland Park, directly along the New Mexico–Texas border. Its parking lot and facilities would sit entirely in New Mexico, just steps from Texas. The location, a small patch of land abutting the state line, has been a flashpoint in the past. It previously drew controversy when a strip club was considered there, raising alarm among nearby residents. In the current proposal, the land was to host the Cronica dispensary and lounge as part of an entertainment venue by local developer Independent Nation, with the strip club component branded as “Bucks Cabaret.” Although New Mexico legalized recreational cannabis last year, it remains illegal in Texas just across the border, heightening worries about jurisdiction and cross-border impacts. “If something should happen… who has the jurisdiction to serve the public?” one concerned resident asked, noting the ambiguity of policing an incident literally on the state boundary. These cross-border tensions and unanswered legal questions added to the community’s skepticism.
Independent Nation, the company behind the Station X project, has pushed back on what it calls misinformation about its plans. Project leaders stress that their vision is to create a broad-based entertainment center, not an out-of-control vice den. The venue would feature “family-oriented entertainment like arcades, axe-throwing lanes, and live sports,” according to Independent Nation’s description. The proposed Cronica Cannabis Dispensary was intended as an anchor tenant, capitalizing on Sunland Park’s booming cannabis market, alongside a cannabis consumption lounge and other attractions. While early plans included selling a parcel to Bucks Cabaret (a gentlemen’s club chain), Independent Nation insists no strip club will actually be on site. “There is no strip club. There has never been a strip club,” affirmed Amit Bijlani, President of Independent Nation, responding to community fears. Bijlani said rumors of an adult club have been blown out of proportion, and he publicly guaranteed the facility will not house a strip club. “Independent Nation is the farthest thing from that… We are actually a place for families,” he explained, noting plans for arcade games and even an axe-throwing range to cater to a wide audience. The developer also emphasized their compliance with state laws and regulations for cannabis. “We have full designs… a beautiful place called Cronica,” Bijlani said, adding that they worked closely with New Mexico’s Cannabis Control Division and Alcohol Beverage Control to meet all rules. Prior to the council vote, Independent Nation’s team expressed optimism, with Bijlani commenting, “We’re confident that the city of Sunland Park… will do their duty and follow the law,” in approving the project.
The battle over Station X unfolded against the backdrop of Sunland Park’s rapidly growing cannabis industry. The small city of 18,000 has quickly become one of New Mexico’s cannabis retail hotspots, thanks largely to its proximity to the 700,000-strong El Paso metro area. In fact, Sunland Park “continues to lead New Mexico in cannabis retail revenue,” a trend fueled by Texans crossing the border to buy legal marijuana. Established dispensaries like Dark Matter, Field of Dreams, Cookies, and Mango together rake in over $3.3 million in sales each month from adult-use cannabis, dwarfing sales in other parts of the state. This economic boom has been a boon for the city’s tax base and has attracted a flood of new cannabis ventures. However, it has also spurred fierce competition and concerns about saturation. The Sunland Park Cannabis Coalition, comprised of local dispensary owners, argued that the Cronica lounge proposal was problematic not only for its location but also for its potential to tarnish the industry’s reputation if not done carefully. “We are being responsible in the way the cannabis industry is evolving,” said coalition spokesperson Dan Arvizu, explaining the group’s stance against the project. Arvizu described the Station X plan as a sprawling “mega-complex” with unclear intentions, suggesting it could reflect poorly on the burgeoning local cannabis sector. City records show that cannabis businesses in Sunland Park require special approval as a “special use” under zoning code. Earlier, the Planning & Zoning Commission had attached conditions to the Cronica dispensary plan, including a ban on any adult entertainment or outdoor consumption at the site. Those measures were meant to allay community concerns, but they did little to quell the uproar. A scheduled April hearing was postponed 60 days when opponents arrived with an attorney, prompting the city to delay proceedings so its own attorneys could be present. By the time the proposal reached the City Council this week, the lines were clearly drawn.
After hearing hours of impassioned public comment, the City Council ultimately sided with the opposition. In a vote on Wednesday night, councilors unanimously denied the zoning change requests that would have allowed the Cronica dispensary, lounge, and related facilities to operate as planned. Officials did not publicly detail their deliberations, but the outcome reflected many of the objections raised by residents, neighboring business owners, and regional stakeholders. In effect, city leaders balked at the idea of combining a high-volume cannabis outlet with a bar and possible adult venue at the city’s doorstep to Texas. “It’s not in the best interest of Sunland Park or the industry,” Arvizu had argued ahead of the vote. Even with assurances from the developer, the project’s unique mix of uses and sensitive location proved too controversial to green-light.
For now, the proposed site remains an empty lot and its future is uncertain. Independent Nation’s team has not announced whether they will seek to revise the project and try again, pursue an alternate location, or abandon the plan altogether. Any future attempt would likely require scaling back the more contentious elements, such as omitting the lounge or distancing from adult entertainment, to satisfy city requirements. The council’s decisive rejection sends a clear signal to other would-be entrepreneurs: Sunland Park will carefully balance economic opportunity with community values when it comes to cannabis ventures. As the city’s cannabis economy continues to thrive thanks to cross-border demand, officials seem determined to proceed cautiously on new projects, especially those near the state line. The debate over Station X may be over, but its impact will linger. Wednesday’s vote could set a precedent for how Sunland Park handles similar proposals going forward, reaffirming that community standards and regulatory considerations remain paramount.
Sources: KFOX14/CBS4 Local; KVIA News; The Green Border (El Paso Cannabis Club); Independent Nation; Sunland Park City Council records & code.