THE Isle of Man version of the popular board game Monopoly was officially launched in October.
Winning Moves UK, the company who made the game, visited the Island to reveal the new look edition.
Mark Hauser and Natasha Malik from the company unveiled a five foot by five foot replica board at The Sefton Hotel - one of the landmarks which made it on to the board.
In May the company announced that it would be creating a localised edition of the game and asked members of the public for their suggestions on which places and landmarks they would like to see immortalised.
The TT Grandstand took the most prestigious spot on the Monopoly board - Mayfair. Coming in at a close second, and taking the second most expensive spot of Park Lane, was Tynwald Hill.
Mark Hauser, the licensing director for Winning Moves UK, explained: "I'd say the board is largely shaped by the polls and what the people have suggested. We were completely inundated with suggestions and were really really grateful."
A number of heritage attractions have made it onto the board with Peel Castle, Castle Rushen and the Tower of Refuge taking up the yellow spaces and the Manx Museum, Cregneash and Camera Obscura taking up the orange spaces.
The Island's transport network is also well represented with the Isle of Man Steam Railway, Snaefell Mountain Railway, Electric Trams and the Sea Terminal taking up the transport slots.
The Community Chest and Chance spaces cards have been given a Manx makeover with commands including advancing to the Villa Marina, making a wish at Fairy Bridge and even the chance to win tickets for the TT Races.
Mark continued: "This genuinely is one of the best boards that we have done and to think of the places we have had to leave off it's a real shame in the end that we couldn't bring them on the board."
Geoff Corkish MHK, political member for Isle of Man Tourism within the Department of Economic Development, said he hoped the game would be a helpful tool in marketing the Island to visitors.
He said: "Monopoly is such as tremendous name and for us to be associated with it, and for them to want us to be associated, is a great two way interaction which is tremendous for the Isle of Man. I’m very pleased that we've been a part of it.
"For people who are Monopoly fans for them to know there is another take on the Monopoly game is a fantastic profile for the Isle of Man. People who perhaps never been to the Isle of Man will see all the unique attractions and the different things that are here.
Update: In November it was revealed that the Isle of Man version of Monopoly had been so popular that it was being printed for a second time. For more on this story click here.
This story is part of isleofman.com's Review of the Year 2011.
