Central Oregon destination resort Juniper Preserve has tried to tap into the latest in modern luxury travel amenities: a psilocybin center where guests can dose the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms.

The resort’s attempt hasn’t been without challenges. As it tries to achieve its vision, the resort is also testing Deschutes County’s regulations for psilocybin treatment centers in rural areas for the first time.

On Wednesday, the resort sought to reverse an April decision that had halted its progress, taking its case to the Deschutes County Commission. The resort appealed a hearings officer decision that denied the application, and the majority of the commissioners agreed on Wednesday to revisit the decision.

The hearings officer denied the application not for objections to psilocybin treatment but for stipulations related to parking and transportation access.

However, the commissioners have limited influence no matter what they decide, according to county legal counsel.

Juniper Preserve rebranded as a wellness resort in 2022, shedding its former name, Pronghorn.

Part of that shift included the resort getting involved in Deschutes County’s process to craft local psilocybin regulations. Commissioners ultimately allowed psilocybin centers in destination resorts after voters statewide legalized treatment in 2020, and Juniper Preserve is the first test of those land use regulations.

There is a strong appetite for psilocybin treatment in Central Oregon, Commissioner Tony DeBone said Wednesday. His interest in the novelty of regulating psilocybin treatment centers contributed to his support to reconsider Juniper Preserve’s case, he said.

“There’s people very emotional about the value of psilocybin treatment and the rights to do medicinal treatment. There was just a lot of energy on that. And there’s other people that can’t believe this is being integrated in our society and community,” DeBone said.

The resort’s psilocybin center would also be a first of its kind facility in Oregon, if approved. Adding a facility where resort guests would be able to ingest psilocybin on site — whether it’s for healing purposes or improving one’s golf game — would make Juniper Preserve the first psilocybin center in Oregon near nature and with access to overnight accommodations.

In order to reach first-of-a-kind status, the resort must receive a conditional use permit, which means the psilocybin center, if approved, would have to abide by specific criteria and standards that already exist within the county’s codes and laws.

However, any approval or denial of the resort’s application from the commissioners may not be much help, said Stephanie Marshall, assistant legal counsel for Deschutes County.

State law takes priority when regulating land use matters for psilocybin treatment centers, so any future decision from the county commissioners could hold very little weight if challenged further, Marshall said.