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80 Years Later, How Would Atlantic City-Based Monopoly Look?

Published

10 years ago

March 18, 2015

This March 11, 2015 photo shows a Monopoly board in Atlantic City, N.J. – the city on whose real-life streets the Monopoly board game is based. The board game turns 80 years old on Thursday, March 19, 2015. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

WAYNE PARRY, Associated Press

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Monopoly is turning 80.

Based on the real-life streets of Atlantic City, Monopoly is one of the world’s most popular board games.

The greed-driven game, in which competitors try to buy up all the property they can and collect as much cash as possible, has been played by an estimated 1 billion people in 114 countries.

The city’s mayor, Don Guardian, says Monopoly remains relevant in present-day Atlantic City, where the casino industry is shrinking, taxes are rising, and the city and state are racing to build new attractions less dependent on gambling to bring in tourists and their money.

“The concepts of capitalism, money, buying up properties, raising the rent, buying out your competition kind of remain today, too,” he said. “I couldn’t think of a game that’s more relevant for Atlantic City than Monopoly.”

Monopoly was “born” March 19, 1935, when Parker Brothers acquired the rights to the game from Charles Darrow. Here’s how the game might look if its “birthday” were March 19, 2015:

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THE NEW RITZ

The most expensive spot on today’s Monopoly board would be The Borgata, Atlantic City’s top casino and a major reason why people come here. Encased in shimmering gold glass that sends dazzling shards of light onto the city streets when the sun hits it just right, the Borgata dwarfs its competitors in the Atlantic City gambling market. It won $687 million from gamblers last year, more than twice as much as its closest competitor and next-door neighbor, Harrah’s, which would make a nice adjacent space on the present-day board’s high-rent district. The Golden Nugget, which has drastically improved its financial performance of late, could also be located nearby, as it is in real-life in the city’s Marina District.

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THE BOARDWALK

The first wooden walkway of its kind in the world, Atlantic City’s Boardwalk remains a tourism icon. It has nine casinos on it — but after a brutal 2014 that saw four of them go out of business, only five are still operating. That knocks Boardwalk down a peg or two on the new board. But it’s still a magical place where you can find everything from cotton candy and funnel cakes to gourmet meals, with the smell of the ocean and the screech of the seagulls surrounding you.

___

THE SHOPPING

The Walk, Atlantic City’s outlet shopping and dining district, has succeeded in giving non-gamblers a reason to visit. Clothing stores, shoe shops and eateries stretch for blocks in the city center, and a new Bass Pro Shops outlet is opening soon.

___

LOW-RENT DISTRICT

Bader Field used to be an airport (and indeed was the first facility in the world to be called an “airport.”) But it shut down in 2006, and aside from an occasional concert (Metallica took it over for two nights in 2013, and Phish for three nights in 2012), it sits empty, as does a minor league baseball stadium next door that used to host the Atlantic City Surf. Maryland Avenue, which was home to a violent street gang responsible for numerous shootings and large-scale drug dealing until a major police raid, would belong on the lowest-priced end of the board. Stretches of Pacific Avenue are pocked with run-down buildings and streetwalkers, so it would probably be knocked from its spot on the highest-priced quarter of the board.

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COMMUNITY CHEST 2015

Here are some twist-of-fate cards you might get in present-day Atlantic City:

—Carl Icahn buys your casino. Lose your health insurance and pension. (This is currently happening at the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, where the billionaire investor is battling the union over costs, trying to force workers into government-sponsored health plans. A bankruptcy court judge gave him approval last week to take over the casino.)

—Your proposed purchase of Revel Casino Hotel falls through. Go back to bankruptcy court and wait for a lower price. (This, too, is happening, with three proposed sales of the failed casino having fallen apart. A bankruptcy judge last week rejected a proposed sale of the $2.4 billion property to a Florida developer at what would have been a 96 percent discount.)

—Take a ride on the Steel Pier observation wheel. (The iconic amusement pier, which once housed the famous Diving Horse, is building one of the largest Ferris wheels in the U.S., with climate-controlled, enclosed cars providing for year-round views of the ocean and city skyline.)

—Caesars Entertainment closes your casino in the name of reducing competition. Lose your job. (They did that twice last year, at The Atlantic Club and the Showboat.)

—Go to Boardwalk Hall, see the new Miss America. (The pageant is back where it began each September, in Atlantic City.)

___

GO TO JAIL

Historically, no square on the board was better suited to Atlantic City than this one. Political corruption flourished here from Nucky Johnson, the Prohibition-era political and rackets boss immortalized in the hit HBO series “Boardwalk Empire,” to a series of lower-profile felons. As recently as 2007, four of the city’s last eight mayors had been busted on corruption charges, and a third of the nine-member City Council was in prison or under house arrest. The cast of characters included a mayor who admitted taking a bribe from a federal agent posing as a mob-connected representative of a janitorial supply company, and a City Council president who — while waiting to report to prison on a bribery conviction — orchestrated a sex sting to lure a political rival to a motel tryst with a prostitute, secretly videotaped it and sent copies to the media.

___

Wayne Parry can be reached at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC

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BWOPA Honors Black Leadership and Legacy at 2024 Ella Hill Hutch Awards Dinner

On Dec. 5, BWOPA held its Annual Ella Hill Hutch Awards Ceremony, at the Fairmont Claremont Hotel in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills. At the event, the group comprised of Black women from various professional backgrounds, honored distinguished local and state leaders whose contributions have shaped civic engagement and advanced critical social issues impacting Black communities.

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L-R: BWOPA State Executive Director LaNiece Jones; State Asm. Mia Bonta; BWOPA 2024 Man of The Year/Urban League SFBA CEO Ken Maxey; BWOPA State President Hon. Dezie Woods-Jones; State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas; Rowena Brown, Oakland Councilmember At-Large, Elect; BWOPA State Regional Director Vashone Huff. Courtesy photo.

By Oakland Post Staff

Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) is a statewide non-profit advocacy and membership organization committed to solving problems affecting Black Californians.

On Dec. 5, BWOPA held its Annual Ella Hill Hutch Awards Ceremony, at the Fairmont Claremont Hotel in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills.

At the event, the group comprised of Black women from various professional backgrounds, honored distinguished local and state leaders whose contributions have shaped civic engagement and advanced critical social issues impacting Black communities.

The evening was hosted by Dr. Shawna Charles, founder of The Charles Communications Group (CCG) headquartered in Los Angeles. Charles served as mistress of ceremonies.

With a track record of elevating voices and empowering communities, Charles’ leadership and insight brought a certain dynamism to the celebration.

“Each year, this event not only celebrates the enduring legacy of our beloved BWOPA founding member, Ella Hill Hutch, but also reaffirms and amplifies our unwavering commitment to building and sustaining Black political power across California,” said Dezie Woods-Jones, BWOPA founding member and State president.

“Ella Hill Hutch’s trailblazing leadership continues to inspire us as we forge ahead, empowering Black women to lead, advocate, and shape a more equitable future for all,” added Woods-Jones.

This year’s event introduced the DWJ Rising Star Award, honoring young leaders like Solano County Board Supervisors-elect Cassandra James, Danielle Motley-Lewis, Naomi Waters and newly elected State Assemblymember elect Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton).

According to organizers, the awardees all exemplify “the next generation of changemakers.”

Other awardees included:

Lifetime Achievement Awardees: Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) and Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson
Man of the Year: Kenneth Maxey, CEO of the Greater SF Bay Area Urban League
President’s Corporate Award: Yvette Radford, Kaiser Permanente
In the Spirit of Ella State and Chapter Awards: Dr. Carolyn Greene, Dr. Marcella K. Smith, Dr. Carolyn Drake, Tinisch Hollins, Jackie Jones, Gloria Burgess Johnson, Tamika L’Ecluse, Ellen Nash, Betty Reid Soskin, and Ay’Anna Moody.

BWOPA also celebrated local champions across its chapters, including leaders in voter education, healthcare, criminal justice reform, and community advocacy.

In a statement, BWOPA said, “Honoring Ella Hill Hutch’s legacy, BWOPA recognizes her pioneering efforts as the first Black woman elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Her tireless work amplifying underrepresented voices continues to inspire BWOPA’s mission to build Black political power across California.”

“We extend our heartfelt thanks to our members, partners and allies who believe in BWOPA’s vision to invest in building power for Black women’s leadership,” said LaNiece Jones, BWOPA State executive director. “Your support ensures that Black women have a voice at decision-making tables locally, regionally, statewide, and nationally, advancing diversity and equity in leadership spaces.”

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Oakland Post: Week of December 11 – 17, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of December 11 – 17, 2024

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December 13, 2024

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Post News Group to Host Second Town Hall on Racism, Hate Crimes

The mission of CRD is to protect the people of California from unlawful discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations (businesses) and from hate violence and human trafficking in accordance with the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Unruh Civil Rights Act, Disabled Persons Act, and Ralph Civil Rights Act. The employment anti-discrimination provisions of the FEHA apply to public and private employers, labor organizations and employment agencies. “Housing providers” includes public and private owners, real estate agents and brokers, banks, mortgage companies, and financial institutions.

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By Oakland Post Staff

On Tuesday, Dec. 10, from 5-6:30 p.m. PT, Post News Group Global Features Journalist Carla Thomas will host a second Virtual Town Hall on Racism.

Guests will include community builders Trevor Parham of Oakstop and Shawn Granberry of Hip Hop TV.

“There’s been an uptick of blatant racist acts going on in the community and it’s important for communities to have a forum, an outlet, and to be educated on the California Vs. Hate initiative that has resources available for victims and witnesses,” said Thomas. People like Trevor Parham and Shawn Granberry have found a multitude of ways to strengthen, heal, and protect the community through their entrepreneurial networks, special events, and mentoring.”

While community leaders step up, the state has added extra support with the CA vs. Hate, initiative, a non-emergency hate incident and hate crime reporting system to support individuals and communities targeted for hate.

“We are committed to making California a safer and inclusive place for all,” said James Williams, Jr. of the California Civil Rights Department.

In partnership with organizations across the state, the network is designed to support and protect diverse and underserved communities.

“Through CA vs. Hate, we support individuals and communities targeted for hate, identify options for next steps after an act of hate, and connect people with culturally competent resources and care coordination services,” said Williams.

“It’s important to report these incidents in order for us to use the data to enhance prevention and response services,” said Williams.

Funded by the California State Legislature, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) received funding and authorization from the State Legislature to establish the non-emergency, CA vs. Hate Resource Line and Network to support individuals and communities targeted for hate.

CRD began in 1959 with the creation of the Fair Employment Practices Commission to implement California’s first state-wide protections against discrimination in the workplace. In 1980, the 1959 Fair Employment Practices Act, and the 1963 Rumford Fair Housing Act were combined and rebranded FEHA. The Fair Employment Practices Commission became a department-level agency named the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) to enforce that law.

In July 2022, DFEH’s name changed to CRD to more accurately reflect the Department’s powers and duties, which include enforcement of laws prohibiting hate violence, human trafficking, discrimination in business establishments, and discrimination in government-funded programs and activities, among others.

For more information visit the PostNewsGroup.com and CAvsHATE.ORG.