For the low price of $39.95 game lovers can own a piece of Manhattan Beach, sort of. The coastal city is the first of several California cities to be featured on a Monopoly game board.
“When searching for our first California city to feature, Manhattan Beach stood out for its unique aesthetic, tight knit, welcoming community and its charm,” Jennifer Tripsea said in an interview with the Daily Breeze. Tripsea is the partnerships manager for Top Trumps USA, the company that created Monopoly.
The new board game has all of the charming features that Tripsea mentioned - including the Manhattan Beach Pier and The Strand House. You can also take a rest rollerblading or visit Bruce’s Beach and Polliwog Park
While the edition creators did not say how the landmarks were chosen, Scott Whitney, the vice president of sales for Top Trumps, told the Daily Breeze that businesses could sponsor the edition — though it wasn’t clear if sponsorship would dictate what businesses made the board.
Following the recent decisions on Bruce’s Beach, which can be purchased on the board, Whitney said game designers seriously considered whether or not to remove it and avoid any controversy.
The land was originally purchased by Willa and Charles Bruce in 1912, and the couple built and ran a resort catering to black tourists, who at the time had little access to public beaches.
In 1924 city officials seized the land through eminent domain, saying it planned to build a city park, but over the years many have wondered if the seizure of the land was racially motivated.
Over the years the land has been the subject of much debate, and drew more attention this year when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill to return the land back to the Bruce’s descendants - who officials have said would be millionaires by now had they kept the land in the family. The process to return the land is ongoing.
On the board, Bruce’s Beach sits near Sand Dune Park, the Strand Bike Path and Chance.
Interested in playing the game? Local store Tabula Rasa has a few, but some 200 games have already been pre-ordered, according to the Daily Breeze. The best bet may be to visit Top Trumps to see if they are available.
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