The Coachella Valley town of Desert Hot Springs has been on the map for generations as a wellness destination. The mineral waters underneath the town are famous for their curative properties.
While it’s been known as “the spa city” for its dozens of resorts, it’s looking to expand its portfolio. Cannabis is growing in fenced off, unmarked industrial buildings southwest of downtown in what until recently was wide open space.
Inside the grow operation at Desert Underground, the hum of fans is a constant in the 40 climate-controlled rooms used to cultivate strains of weed with names like “cereal milk,” “apple fritter,” and “banana split.”
Ethan Woods is Desert Underground’s CEO, and he sees a future where this unremarkable patch of desert becomes a destination.
“You know I see it potentially evolving as like a Napa or Sonoma Valley if everything comes together at the same time,” says Woods.
Read more at kcrw.com