Mendota to become a major center for marijuana

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The quiet town of Mendota is on the cusp of ushering in a first of its kind business to the Valley.

California based Canna-Hub, a large-scale pot operation, promises to bring jobs and revenue to the area through a state of art campus that will soon set up shop in the town's industrial zone.

According to Tim McGraw, the Founder and CEO of Canna-Hub, construction will soon begin at a former packing shed.

The idea is to sublease space within the 100-square foot building to multiple pot-related businesses.

Everything cannabis related, except for the retail sale of marijuana and outdoor grows, will be done at this location.

According to McGraw, tenants are snatching up spots in a hurry, "We have probably 75-85 percent of that space spoken for. We're currently vetting the operators and doing our due diligence. The activity we've seen on that site has been significant."

When California voters legalized recreational marijuana in 2016, they set the stage for an economic bonanza.

As part of its agreement with the city, Canna-Hub will hire up to 100 positions with the potential of pumping $800,000 into Mendota's general fund. It's an unexpected windfall for a city that typically ranks among the state's worst when it comes to unemployment rates.

"Like any other business they're in a highly competitive high-risk environment and even if the first couple of years if the payments are on schedule, doesn't mean its always going to last," said Vince DiMaggio, the Mendota City Manager. "I myself am taking a very conservative approach to it."

But Canna-Hub officials are confident the facility will not only make money for years to come but become a model for the industry to follow.

"We'll have a full-service lab on site, about 50,000 square feet of cultivation, distribution, transportation, and tissue culture on site," said McGraw.

What won't be happening in Mendota is the sale of Marijuana. The Mendota council has no plans to allow the legal sale of pot within city limits anytime soon.