Philly-Themed Monopoly Edition Still Taking Submissions For Board Spots

PHILADELPHIA — Back in September, Patch told you about an upcoming Philadelphia edition of the iconic board game Monopoly.

Fans of Philly and the beloved game were invited to submit nominations for organizations, landmarks, institutions, businesses, and more to be featured in "Monopoly: Philadelphia Edition" from Top Trumps USA, which has the official Monopoly license from Hasbro.

Now, just a few weeks are left in the nomination process, with the deadline being Feb. 28, so anyone who hasn't submitted their nominees is urged to do so as soon as possible.

Anyone and everyone, from individual people to businesses, is invited to submit online here or by emailing Philly@TopTrumps.com.

Below are suggested categories for inlcusion:

• Food & Beverage (Restaurants, distilleries, food trucks)
• Sports (Teams (all leagues, divisions, and levels), arenas, fields, stadiums, clubs, athletic programs)
• Education (K-12, universities, charter schools, academies)
• Attractions (Landmarks, historical sites, museums, famous buildings, amusement parks, art galleries)
• National/International HQs
• Special Causes (Nonprofits, charities)
• Retail (Shops, malls)
• Media (TV, radio, publications)
• Outdoors (Parks, excursions, trails)
• Venues/Event Spaces (Theatres, concert halls, convention centers)
• Stays (Hotels, resorts, luxury tourism)
• Events (Festivals, competitions, concerts, conventions, farmers markets, races, special local holidays)
• Financial Institutions (Banks, mortgagers, insurers)
• Transportation (Airports, trains/train stations, cruises, MTA/RTA, freight, automotive)
• Utilities (Gas, electric, water, solar, internet)

"Everyone who loves Philly is encouraged to take part," Top Trumps USA representative Tim Barney told Patch. "The nomination period is when people help us make the game as authentic as possible, to capture the unique essence of Philadelphia to make a game that's by and for the people."

While the greater Philadelphia region is home to so many potential nominees, Top Tumps USA is looking only at nominees in Philadelphia proper. In October 2022, the company released its Main Line edition of Monopoly.

Barney said nominations help the Top Trumps USA team identify places they may not be aware of but are culturally and historically important to Philadelphia.

Nominees are considered based on a sense of legacy, credibility, online rankings, tourist attraction, community involvement, and more.

For businesses, Barney said their local community impact is weighed on top of their business acumen when being considered for inclusion.

"We do our homework," he said of researching nominees.

In total, 20 to 35 nominees will be selected for inclusion, most of which have already been chosen.

"Trying to narrow down an entire city in that number of nominees is tough," he said. "Philadelphia has more than enough to fill its own edition."

The timing of the game couldn't be better, with the city planning numerous events to celebrate the semiquincentennial of the nation's founding right here in Philadelphia this year,

"Philadelphia has an amazing history and cultural heritage," Barney said. "The history of Philadelphia is so important to the nation."

He said Philadelphians have a major sense of public pride in the city and that its residents defend it tooth and nail.

"They come out in force and tell us what they love," he said.

This last stretch leading to the Feb. 28 deadline is the last chance for Philadelphians and supporters of the city to say what they want to see immortalized in the game when it releases in November.

"We've got a handful of spots left, and some places are neck and neck," he said. "These final nominations could sway a decision. We want everybody to reach out with nominees."

Barney said he couldn't tease or reveal any nominees that have been selected for inclusion and that they will all be revealed on the release day, which has not been publicly announced.

Top Trumps USA encourages those who purchase a game to do so locally if possible.

"It is a community edition, after all," he said. "Lets help out the places that are actually featured."

Still, the game will be available on the Top Trumps USA website, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble for those who don't live in the Philadelphia area and want to score a copy. Businesses that would like to carry the game are encouraged to contact Top Trumps USA to stock it upon release.

And Barney said if the Philadelphia edition is like other editions, thousands of units will sell.

"We have a lot of sellout games," he said. "The Detroit edition, for instance, had four prints in less than a year. The initial 10,000 games printed were claimed within a few days of the launch."

Similarly, the Queens edition sold out within five days of its launch, requiring another printing.

"We are really happy with how many of our games continue to reprint in such a short amount of time," he said. "It's a pleasure to get to make something that creates one of the last places people gather around the table without phones to play."

All Monopoly games from Top Trumps USA are officially licensed by Hasbro and feature the iconic red and white logo that gamers have come to know and love.