Arlingtonopoly, a one-of-a-kind Arlington-themed board game produced by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, will hit store shelves later this year.
Similar to the classic family game Monopoly, players in this game will progress along the board and buy or trade properties. In this version, though, players will get to interact with sites that are straight from real-life neighborhoods.
The game is expected to go on sale in fall 2023 and will cost $40.
“This was actually an idea that different chambers have done across the country, and relatively recently our friends at the Alexandria chamber actually did an ALX-opoly during the pandemic that was incredibly successful for them,” says Kate Bates, president and CEO of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.
The release of the game will coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, a membership-based organization that advocates for businesses and economic development. The chamber celebrates its centennial in 2024.
Design Powers, an Arlington-based graphic design company, is designing the game. Bates says that the game will have a “whimsical” design with illustrations that represent Arlington.
Members of the Chamber of Commerce were able to sponsor a spot on the board, the cards, and the playing pieces.
“It really is a nice reflection of the chamber membership,” Bates says. “We did them in a variety of price points, so it would be affordable to different types of businesses.”
She says that several nonprofits will appear on the board, such as PathForward and Arlington Independent Media, as well as higher education groups, including George Mason University and Marymount University. Some other businesses that will be on the board are Alair Homes, VIDA Fitness, and SweatBox.
Arlingtonopoly players will even get their utilities from Washington Gas and Dominion Energy, just as real-life residents do.
In addition to the squares along the board, there will be custom playing pieces. So far, there are two confirmed custom pewter pieces: a Boeing 737 airplane to represent the Boeing’s presence in Arlington and a flamingo to represent Freddie’s Beach Bar, which describes itself as the county’s “straight-friendly” LGBTQ+ restaurant and bar.
There are still three places on the board that are available, as well as some opportunities to sponsor additional playing pieces.
Retailers interested in selling the game can purchase bulk orders from the Chamber of Commerce at a discounted rate.
Feature image courtesy ProstoSvet/stock.adobe.com
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