A new Monopoly board featuring Dubai’s biggest and most historic landmarks launched at the Burj Al Arab on Monday night, making Dubai the first Middle Eastern city to get its own edition of the game.
The top spot on the Monopoly Dubai board is Burj Al Arab, valued at 400 Monopoly Money. Also featured in descending value are Bluewaters, Dubai Airport, Burj Khalifa, Atlantis the Palm, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai Marina, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai Taxi, Global Village, Nord Anglia International Dubai School, Dubai Opera, Mall of the Emirates, Festival City, Al Seef, Dubai Bus, Dubai Frame, Dubai Miracle Garden, Atlantis Aquaventure, City Walk, La Mer, Xclusive Yachts, Dubai Metro, Al Fahidi and Sheikh Zayed Road.
“I’ve done this before, but never in the Middle East. I started this project 4 years ago” with guidance from the Dubai tourism board, said Tom Liddell, the CEO of Winning Moves.
A UK-based company, Winning Moves holds the exclusive rights to produce all customised editions of Hasbro board games, except for in North America.
Liddell had come to Dubai on holidays before and praised its “rich tapestry”, which inspired the board.
“We’ve all grown up playing it. I’m the youngest of six children and I loved Monopoly, because there were rules,” he said.
The game
Monopoly – a board game whose players buy and sell properties, develop them with houses and hotels, and collect rent from opponents until they go bankrupt – was developed by the Parker Brothers in 1935.
Today it boasts dozens of customised editions, from TV shows such as Game of Thrones to musical icons such as The Beatles. There are more than 100 city editions, including Durban (South Africa), Dublin (Ireland), Leon (France), Krakow (Poland) and Sydney and Melbourne (Australia).
Mr Monopoly — sometimes known as Rich Uncle Pennybags — is the game’s mascot and is known for his dapper appearance including a top hat, black suit and signature cane. The mascot has been touring Dubai for the past month in preparation for the board’s launch.
Monopoly Dubai is now available across leading toy retailers starting from Dh199 and adjusted according to each retailer, a representative told Gulf News.
From the launch
- Evangeline Elsa Jose, Community Solutions Editor
Fahad Alkhaja and Ali Alsuwaidi of Dubai’s Global Village, along with Mohamed Ahli of Dubai Municipality became the first few to get a go at the much loved board game on which you win by efficiently buying and trading property.
“We used to play the old London game 20 years ago. Now that it’s Dubai, I am excited, I want to sit at home, have tea and play with the family,” said Abdul Rahman Hammad, Jordanian expat living in Sharjah.
Dubai resident Nora S. said: “It looks amazing, I can’t wait to get my hands on a board for myself.”
