Today we catch up with Chris Chiari about his work on Denver’s historic Patterson Inn, the keystone of The 420 Hotels portfolio. We discuss the obstacles to building up cannabis hospitality and what the upcoming Las Vegas consumption lounges are currently dealing with.
Chris Chiari is a driven entrepreneur and award-winning film producer with a wealth of experience in corporate strategy and regional politics. Skilled in marketing and messaging, he has engaged exclusively with the cannabis industry since 2011 and is a tireless advocate for cannabis policy reform and fostering industry growth.
Chris owns and operates Denver’s historic Patterson Inn, the keystone of The 420 Hotels portfolio. As CEO, he uses his expertise in hospitality, operations, and community outreach to address the stigmas and ignorance that still exist around cannabis use while creating a unique and upscale environment for cannabis consumption.
With a deep appreciation for the power of collaboration, Chris has built a wide-ranging network throughout his career spanning corporate boardrooms and the entertainment industry. Public Enemy Number One, a film by Chris Chiari, is a feature documentary about the War on Drugs and counts entertainer Ice-T as one of its executive producers.
The film won awards for Best Producer and Best Storyteller at its world premiere at DOC LA 2019 and Best Documentary at the 2020 Seattle Film Festival. It is currently available for rent on Amazon Prime and streaming on Pluto TV and Tubi.
Chris is a former Deputy Director of Colorado NORML, serving for over eight years.. When not working on The 420 Hotels portfolio, Chris likes to stay involved with grassroots advocacy and advancing social reform; he was one of the five members of the petitioner's committee of Denver’s successful 2019 psilocybin ballot initiative.