Auckland version coming

MONOPOLY players might have to pass through Dominion Rd and One Tree Hill to collect $200 instead of the streets of London when an Auckland version of the game is released this year.

The game is poised to go into production and Aucklanders are being asked to nominate the landmarks they would like included.

Mayor Len Brown is tipping Dominion Rd and One Tree Hill to take the prized Mayfair and Park Lane positions on the board.

‘‘They’ve already been immortalised in the songs of Don McGlashan and U2 respectively,’’ he says.

Mr Brown is also tagging Queen St, Great North Rd, Matakana Village, and the Wynyard Quarter as landmarks he would like to make an appearance.

The game is expected to be on shelves by Christmas.

It is being manufactured by Winning Moves under license from Hasbro.

Commercial director Reid Herbert says the company produces two localised versions of the game each year.

Perth is also receiving the honour this year.

‘‘For too long Auckland has been living in London’s shadows. We see Auckland in the 21st century as being the gateway to New Zealand. It’s certainly a global city and its about time it was immortalised with a Monopoly board,’’ he says.

‘‘Obviously it takes a lot to put one of these together.

‘‘I don’t know where we’ll be going from here yet.

‘‘Over the next year Mr Monopoly will drop me his ideas on where he wants to tour to next,’’ he says.

Monopoly was released in 1935.

Today it is played in 111 countries in 43 different languages.

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