HomeEntertainmentAnna Maria Island now...

Anna Maria Island now a Monopoly game

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Since it was first created 87 years ago in 1935, little has changed in the Monopoly board game. A few game pieces have come and gone, but the properties, which are based on real places in Atlantic City, New Jersey, have not changed for the better part of a century.

But now there’s an Anna Maria Island version, courtesy of an Ohio-based company, Late for the Sky, that makes knock-off Monopoly games based on cities and organizations around the country.  

After leaving “Go” by rolling the dice in traditional Monopoly fashion, players try to buy the Bridge Street Clock Tower, the Island Players, or Bean Point, rather than familiar properties like New York, Marvin Gardens or Park Place.

If you have the cash, you may even purchase the Gulf of Mexico.

Forget the railroads – they don’t exist on the Island – but you can try to collect Coquina Beach, Cortez Beach and Holmes Beach for maximum profits. 

According to the company’s website, the games are unofficial versions of the popular game, but different in enough ways to avoid infringing on the Monopoly copyright. For instance, there are no hotels; instead, you collect keys to the city. Despite the popularity of the real-life historic Anna Maria City Jail, there is no jail, like real Monopoly; instead, you will be sent to a traffic jam, which is true to life this time of year. 

Anna Maria Island now a Monopoly game
You won’t go to jail, but you may be sent into a traffic jam as punishment in Anna Maria Island Opoly. – Jason Schaffer | Sun

Late for the Sky Production Company began making board games in 1984. Their first game was Miami Opoly, based on Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. The company’s founder is a graduate of Miami University and her time spent there was the inspiration for the game. The game then spread to 80 major U.S. colleges and universities. There are now hundreds of custom games that include colleges, games for food lovers, educational games and even a game featuring just about every popular breed of dog and cat. 

Other nearby cities with an “Opoly” game include Sarasota and Tampa. The company says it researches the areas by following Facebook groups, local chamber of commerce sites and digging into as much online data as they can find to make the games relevant and fun. If you are new to the Island, this game may not only be a source of family fun, but also send the player to Island businesses and attractions they may have not known about. 

Anna Maria Island Opoly is sold exclusively through Walmart and Amazon.

Most Popular

More from Author

Man completes Chamber passport program in five hours

ANNA MARIA ISLAND - The annual Anna Maria Island Chamber of...

One ARK Foundation raises funds for foster families

live music, delicious food and spirited fundraising as the One ARK...

‘Communicating Doors’ a hilarious time warp

ANNA MARIA - The Island Players continue their historic 75th season...

Golf cart accident victims say ‘buckle up’

BRADENTON BEACH - One of the biggest concerns for the Island’s...

Floridian Mortgage wins championship

ANNA MARIA – Spring has sprung and winter sports at The Center are coming to a close, with team Floridian Mortgage earning the win against team Moss Builders Thursday night in the adult co-ed flag football championship game. The top two teams in the league matched up in...

Man completes Chamber passport program in five hours

ANNA MARIA ISLAND - The annual Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Passport Program is a fun way for residents and visitors to the Island to get out and discover Island businesses with a passport offered for free by the chamber. Participants are encouraged to get their passports...

One ARK Foundation raises funds for foster families

live music, delicious food and spirited fundraising as the One ARK Foundation held its second annual “Kindness Matters Extravaganza” at The Cheesecake Cutie & Cafe on March 21. “One ARK” stands for “one act of random kindness” and is a newly-established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by The Cheesecake...

Save our homes

This column should be titled “Save our Taxes,” since that’s what we’re really talking about. However, saving on property taxes is part of the Save Our Homes benefits and portability transfers are another piece of this law. In January of 2008, the Florida Legislature passed legislation that allows...

 Reel Time: Salon fundraiser meets with success

Salon (noun) - a conversational gathering of notables held at the home of a prominent person. On Saturday afternoon, Suncoast Waterkeeper held its Suncoast Salon fundraiser at the Sarasota home of Anna Maria residents Bill and Debbie Partridge. The event was a sellout and attracted some of...

Temporary paid parking vendors hired

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners considered four temporary use parking permits at the March 21 commission meeting and after much discussion, approved three with stipulations, denying one. Permit applications were submitted by developer Shawn Kaleta for temporary parking lots at 102 Third St. N., 207 Church Ave. and...

Fire department sued over rental regulations

BRADENTON – Almost a year after passing a resolution changing the district’s approach to taxing and inspecting vacation rental properties in residential areas, West Manatee Fire Rescue is receiving pushback from one rental owner. During a March 19 commission meeting, the district’s attorney, Maggie Mooney, informed the board...

Bridge Street traffic, parking among commission concerns

BRADENTON BEACH – In what was an unusually lengthy, seven-hour city commission meeting that began at noon on March 21, commissioners dove into parking and traffic issues, pickleball and organ donation. BRIDGE STREET ONE WAY? A Bridge Street business owner asked the commission to consider making Bridge Street one...

Scaccianoce new Bradenton Beach commissioner

BRADENTON BEACH – Ward 1 has a new commissioner. The application for commissioner by business owner and former Manatee County records manager Deborah Scaccianoce was approved by the commission and she was sworn in at its March 21 meeting. She filled the vacant seat left by former Commissioner Jake...

Kruse talks beach parking, Island consolidation

HOLMES BEACH – About two dozen people came out on March 20 to meet with Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse, bringing their questions for the candidate, who is seeking re-election in November. Kruse held a town hall meeting at the Island Branch Library where he answered every question...

Commissioners deny bids for paid parking

BRADENTON BEACH – Rather than partnering with an outside vendor as planned, commissioners are now considering city-managed paid parking lots throughout Bradenton Beach. The city had put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) on Feb. 9 to “Provide the City with a complete parking management and enforcement system...