Somehow, it’s news that’s both surprising and not surprising at the same time.

Mike Tyson rocketed to fame as a champion heavyweight boxer. A troubled champion, of course, which was the second way he became famous. He once bit an opponent’s ear in the ring.

From Boxing To Cannabis Resorts

The late-career Mike Tyson has become a respected public speaker and a sought-after actor for appearances in the movies.

And now, he wants to open one of two cannabis resorts in California.

New Year, New Business

Tyson announced his plans in late December at the ceremonial groundbreaking for his new property, called Tyson Ranch. It’s on 40 acres in California City, which is 110 miles north of Los Angeles and 60 miles southwest of Death Valley National Park.

Tyson and his partners plan to turn the land into an oasis, cultivating the ground to both grow marijuana and conduct research into its potential as medicine. Tyson also wants to set aside about half of the land for growers to experiment on new strains of marijuana.

But that’s not all. He’s also planning to have a campground, amphitheater and an edibles factory. So, yes, you can visit Tyson Ranch once it opens, although no date is set for that event.

Tyson, according to The Blast, also plans a line of products under the brand Iron Mike Genetics. They will include CBD products, which the former fighter has long advocated use of for pain relief and other issues.

Competition For Cannabis Resorts

However, Tyson may get beaten to the punch by American Green Inc. The marijuana company, which runs a cannabis farm near Phoenix and also produces cannabis-related apps, has bought an entire city to make it into a cannabis resort.

That city is the almost-ghost town of Nipton, California. It’s only “almost” because about a dozen or so people live there.

American Green wants to remake the town into a cannabis-centered attraction with cannabis product retail, artist-in-residence programs, culinary events and bed-and-breakfast lodging, according to Fortune.

Plans also call for turning the city into a hub for cannabis production. That could include a facility to produce cannabis edibles. American Green also wants to make the entire operation sustainable by expanding on the solar power system already in place in Nipton.

American Green is marketing the enterprise as an example of how cannabis, now legal for both recreational and medical use in California, can be used to revitalize areas of the state.

So, two cannabis resorts in competition. And one is owned by Mike Tyson. Only in California.