CTV News | Montreal top property in new Monopoly game

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Montreal top property in new Monopoly game

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CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Wed. Aug. 20 2008 9:19 AM ET

Montreal has been voted the most expensive property to buy in a new international version of Monopoly, edging out major tourist destinations like London, Paris and New York.

The capital of Latvia, Riga, was chosen as the second most expensive property, capturing the other sought after dark blue real estate spot.

The new board game, called "Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition," is using cities rather than streets. Montreal and Riga will take the place of the highly-sought Boardwalk and Park Place properties.

"We are thrilled that the first-ever global game board includes an interesting mix of cities that showcases the dynamic cultures, sights and history of the planet," Helen Martin, Vice President of Global Marketing for toy and game-maker Hasbro, Inc., said in a press release.

Two other Canadian cities made it into the game -- Toronto and Vancouver -- but they're both in the lower half of the properties.

Canada and China are the only countries to feature three cities on the new board.

"In terms of promoting Canada and tourism here this is good...and it goes to 103 countries around the world," travel expert Loren Christie told CTV's Canada AM.

"Literally if you look at this board it's quite interesting," Christie said. "It's all based on the votes and how they placed in the voting and has pretty much nothing to do with financial and geographical flow, which is traditionally what we think of in Monopoly."

The 22 cities that earned spots on the "Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition" are as follows, listed in order of property groupings with the highest rent properties listed first:

  • Dark Blue: Montreal, Riga
  • Green: Cape Town, Belgrade, Paris
  • Yellow: Jerusalem, Hong Kong, Beijing
  • Red: London, New York, Sydney
  • Orange: Vancouver, Shanghai, Rome
  • Magenta: Toronto, Kyiv, Istanbul
  • Light Blue: Athens, Barcelona, Tokyo
  • Brown: Taipei, Gdynia

The cities were chosen by voters from around the world, and more than 5 million Monopoly fans reportedly cast ballots to have their favourite cities included in the first ever global edition of the game.

"We are thrilled that the first-ever global game board includes an interesting mix of cities that showcases the dynamic cultures, sights and history of the planet," Martin said.

Cities like Montreal reportedly launched campaigns encouraging people to vote, in order to get people talking about the city.

"From a tourism perspective what better advertising could you get, and I think people will be talking," Christie said. "'Why did Montreal get Boardwalk?' Wow, that must be something amazing and 'Why are Vancouver and Toronto both on there?' For Canada this is actually great. "

The game's makeover goes further than just replacing streets with cities, though.

The old utilities "Electric Company" and "Water Works" will be replaced by "Wind Energy" and "Solar Energy." Also, three of the four railroads will be replaced by air, cruise and space travel options.

"Community Chest" and "Chance" cards didn't escape the makeover either, and will now allow players to attend cultural events and organize festivals.

With files from The Canadian Press

Comments are now closed for this story

Marco Polo
said

If these cities were chosen by 5 million fans (probably only 1000 geeks that cast all the votes), then how the heck did cities like Gdynia and Kyiv made it in?! I don't even know what countries they're in, and I thought I was pretty good in geography.


chris
said

Isn't earth day April 22? The caption of the photo says march 29.


M Ottawa
said

So if you land on Montreal when it's owned by another player and you don't pay the rent, is the other player allowed start a riot and smash the board, toss their drink at you and light the table on fire?

I joke... Well kind of... congrats to Montreal.


Zach from the GTA
said

lol. Toronto over Dubai? That makes sense [/sarcasm]. Oh well I guess us Canadians are ballot savvy individuals.


MONTRÉALAIS! WAHOO!
said

WAHOO! Montréal! Best city in Canada!!! GO MONTRÉAL! :)


Former Montrealer now living in GTA
said

Montreal is an understandable choice for the "top spot."

Montreal is a multicultural masterpiece (not a melting pot like most other major cities), it is one of the most trendy cities in the world and yet without the pretentious flavour of other urban centres like Paris and London.

Montreal is also a beautiful city - with its proximity to moutains and the St. Lawrence it really offers a perfect mix of everything.

Montreal is also a very safe city, a place where people from any walk of life can feel comfortable and welcome.




Greg
said

Hurray for Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver... as long as we don't really end up being the most expensive places in the world!!


Norm
said

They have way to many options now, digital bank Monopoly, Simpsons Monopoly, etc.. I still think I prefer my old board I picked up at a yard sale dated from the 50's.


Bravo!
said

YES! Congrats to Montreal!


Roger T
said

Glad to see MOntreal is on the board, but as for Toronto it should have been on the GO TO JAIL spot as the crimes in our city is so rampant and daily occurance. Toronto itself needs a MAJOR make over as it's so dull and really nothing to boast about. Pls no more of these place to promo our city: CNTower, ROM, Science Centre,Harbour Front (Dump), Greek Town, China Town, Little Italy...etc.

Need more than just the same old things.


Don
said

Why exactly is this a top story? A new edition of Monopoly is nothing new -- there seem to be half a dozen of them marketed every year around Christmas -- and yet I've seen this story in 3 separate places this morning being given a fair chunk of media real estate. One morning television news show had a reporter on the street apparently following up on the controversy that Montreal had a more prominent place on the board than Toronto. I'm ashamed to see it given prominence on ctv.ca as well.

Please, media, don't insult our intelligence.


Dan
said

Lets all go to Montreal now, its the new boardwalk! Why is this in the news?


dwayne-ottawa
said

So what who really cares? Like this will promote any tourism, why change a classic game? Boardwalk is known world wide as the most expensive in monolopy i guess the most expensive is now which edition your playing. Hey I got a great idea how about for a special edition of chess we make the bishops more powerful than the queen.


wealth of nations
said

There goes the legitimacy of this game. They should have just organized it by how much it actually costs to live in cities around the world with New York, Moscow and London leading the way.

Montreal as boardwalk is laughable.


lepew
said

they went by quality of life. montreal deserves top spot.


Geography Buff
said

Wow Marco Polo... Gdynia maybe you might not know (it is the port of the very historic city of Gdansk in Poland), but Kyiv is the capital of Ukraine. I thought that one was common knowledge. Don't go bashing the voters just because you think you know geography.


Dave
said

HAHA! I know it is only a game and all in fun.
Come on though, Montreal is a hick town compared to New York, Paris, London, etc.
Rent is low because the economy is puttering along at a snail pace.
This is good for a laugh though.


Robin the Hood
said

I think they need to redo the vote! Seems obvious its skewed.
Not to knock any city but Montreal and Riga ahead of Paris and Sydney??.. Sorry, but I think not! :-P



CoHHbIu
said

"Marco Polo
If these cities were chosen by 5 million fans (probably only 1000 geeks that cast all the votes), then how the heck did cities like Gdynia and Kyiv made it in?! I don't even know what countries they're in, and I thought I was pretty good in geography."

Poland & Ukraine

It is very surprising.. Madrid, Moscow, LA, Berlin didn't make it.. The seem like much worthier participants than Gdynia, Taipei and Kiev.


dad
said

Montreal is not a very expensive city. Actually is it cheap and the french issues really pose problems there.


DC
said

This is a top news story?


Roscoe
said

Montreal? Is it April 1st? Is this a joke?

I think I will stick with the classic edition. Heck, I'd rather play the Pokemon edition!

How about
Calgary
Halifax
Quebec (city)
Ottawa
Saskatoon
Victoria...




Christopher King
said

Photo's caption is wrong. March 29th was Earth Hour.

I'm so pleased for my former city. I also definitely intend to purchase this latest edition, which I am certain is why Hasbro did this to begin; To generate new interest.


Adriana
said

Shouldn't Ottawa be there instead of Monteral/Toronto since Ottawa was voted by a UN poll as the best city in Canada overall?


CookieMonster
said

It just goes to show that Montreal has the highest number of internet-savvy people. I wonder though, how come Oslo, Helsinki and Stockholm are not on the board. Their geeks run circles around ours...


Kevin
said

To everyone who is complaining perhaps instead of whining about this you should have gone to the monopoly site and voted.

See that's how voting works...when people care about something they vote for it and then the one with the most votes wins. I know...shocking right?






Extra-Paycheck.com
said

It doesn't really make much sense... but hey, MTL is in there! Awesome


M
said

To Marco Polo:
Gdynia is in Poland and Kyiv is the capital of Ukraine. Both are large European countries with tens of millions of people. They have internet access there too, by the way.


maileriga
said

Montreal, Shmontreal...Riga rules.


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