Once upon a time, Worcester had been forecast to be the cannabis capital of Massachusetts, as its number of licenses grew. The state’s industry regulators even moved their headquarters from Boston to the state’s second largest city.

But now, a different city an hour’s drive west of Worcester — and 90 minutes from Boston — is the new leader in terms of the number of completed license applications, according to a Boston Business Journal analysis of submitted recreational marijuana licenses through July 9.

The city of Holyoke has reported 40 completed applications that had been submitted to the state. That’s 5% of the 841 total licenses received to date.

Those licenses include four licensees that have opened — a manufacturing and cultivation license under Rise Holdings, and two dispensaries owned by Canna Provisions and Boston Bud Factories. Another 21 licenses have received provisional approval, and 15 have self-attested to submitting a completed application to the state.

By comparison, Worcester counted 28 licenses: five open, 19 provisionally approved, and four submitted applications. Pittsfield reported 26 licenses, while Fitchburg counted 24, ranking third and fourth.

All told, Holyoke would have one dispensary for every 1,000 residents if all applications are approved. That’s a higher concentration than Worcester, which would have one per every 6,600 residents, as well as both Pittsfield and Fitchburg. [Read More @ Bizjournals.com]