Pukekura Park “Mayfair’ Position for NZ Monopoly

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Hasbro Marketing Manager Phil McIntosh with Mr Monopoly in front of Auckland’s winning landmark Rangitoto

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New Plymouth Mayor Peter Tennent accepting a plaque for Pukekura Park from Hasbro Marketing Manager Phil McIntosh and Mr Monopoly

Media Information
26 June 2007

Congratulations Pukekura Park! Winner of the Public Vote and the Coveted “Mayfair’ Position on the All New Monopoly Here & Now Board

Kiwis have had their say on the new Monopoly Here & Now New Zealand Edition, unveiled today. Regional pride in towns has resulted in some interesting results. A giant kiwifruit and carrot made the board while the Beehive and Auckland Viaduct Harbour missed out!

New Plymouth’s Pukekura Park Festival of Lights secured the prestigious “Mayfair” square on the new board with just under 40,000 votes, placed during a competitive voting period between January 8 and February 10, this year.

This prime piece of real estate has a $4 million price tag, notably higher than the top asking price of $400 on the classic Monopoly board, showing that the game hasn’t just had a Kiwiana make-over but also adjusted for inflation to bring it into the ‘here and now’.

New Plymouth Mayor Peter Tennent says, “this is a win that all of Taranaki will be celebrating after such a concerted voting effort.

“We are thrilled to be part of one of New Zealand’s best loved games and the region relishes the opportunity to showcase one of New Zealand’s foremost parks and events.”
The final 22 landmarks to make the board are as follows:

Dark Blue Squares
- Pukekura Park Festival of Lights, New Plymouth - Overall NZ Winner
- Rangitoto, Auckland –Winner Auckland

Green Squares
- Cable Cars, Wellington – Winner Wellington
- Cathedral Square, Christchurch – Winner Canterbury
- The Square, Palmerston North – Winner Central North Island

Yellow Squares
- Waitomo Caves – Winner Waikato
- Mt Maunganui – Winner Coromandel / Whakatane
- Art Deco Buildings, Napier – Winner Hawkes Bay

Red Squares
- Ninety Mile Beach – Winner Northland
- Golden Bay – Winner Nelson/Marlborough
- Moeraki Boulders, Oamaru – Winner Otago region

Orange Squares
- Fox Glacier – Winner West Coast
- Milford Sound – Winner Southland
- Mt Cook – Winner Iconic NZ Features

Pink Squares
- Cape Reinga Lighthouse – Winner Iconic NZ Features
- Lake Taupo – Winner Iconic NZ Features
- Queenstown Ski Fields – Winner Cultural and Lifestyle

Blue Squares
- Te Papa, Wellington – Winner Cultural and Lifestyle
- Waitangi Treaty Ground – Winner Historic Sites
- Larnach Castle, Dunedin – Winner Historic Sites

Brown Squares
- Ohakune Carrot – Winner Quirky Kiwiana
- Giant Kiwifruit – Winner Quirky Kiwiana

Nearly quarter of a million votes were placed by Kiwis nationwide after New Zealanders were given the chance to vote their favourite 22 landmarks on to the board from a shortlist of 56 for the first time.

The largest number of votes were placed in the Taranaki/Taupo/Manawatu voting category, which saw Palmerston North and New Plymouth go head to head for a spot on the board, sparking a huge rivalry between the residents of both towns. In the end both towns made the board, however the clear winner was New Plymouth’s Pukekura Park.

Small regional provinces were more active than major metropolitan centres, with the nation’s three largest cities Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch securing just 18 percent of the total regional votes, despite accounting for approximately half of the New Zealand population.

Major city landmarks such as Auckland’s Sky Tower and Harbour Bridge, Wellington’s Beehive and Christchurch’s Hagley Park all missed out on coveted spots on the board.

Hasbro New Zealand’s Product Manager for Monopoly, Leigh Gibson, says “this is the first time in 21 years the New Zealand edition of Monopoly has been updated, so we thought it was the perfect opportunity to ask the public what they wanted on their board.”

“At the same time we’ve also brought the game into the 21st century with new values, utilities and tokens.”

Kiwis can now play Monopoly with national icons such as the jandal, sheep or jar of vegemite, they will able to buy and sell in the millions and travel around the board stopping at transport sites like Auckland Airport, Picton Ferry or Dunedin Railway Station.

Kiwis can view the new Monopoly Here & Now New Zealand edition and play an online version of the game at www.nzmonopoly.co.nz. The website also has information on the winning landmarks and the history of Monopoly. Or better still from Tuesday 26 June, be the first to buy a copy of the board game at your favourite toy or game retailer!

ENDS

Please find attached further Monopoly Here and Now New Zealand Edition information and a selection of images from the game’s launch.

See... Monopoly NZ Game Board (PDF)

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Winning Locations

Just who made the board? Winning landmarks are listed below by their colour group on the board:

Dark Blue-

Pukekura Park, Festival of Lights – Congratulations to the landmark with New Zealand’s most votes! New Plymouth's largest park is transformed into a night-time wonderland for two months every summer for the Festival of Lights
Overall NZ Winner

Rangitoto - Erupting approximately 600 years ago, Rangitoto exploded from the sea, forming a symmetrical icon on Auckland’s landscape
Winner Auckland Region

Green-

Cable Cars Wellington- One of Wellington's oldest attractions, this unique form of transport takes passengers from Lampton Quay to Kelburn and the city’s botanical gardens
Winner Wellington Region

Cathedral Square- The very heart of Christchurch city, Cathedral Square provides a central hub for tourism, shopping and transport and houses the city’s celebrated Christchurch Cathedral
Winner Canterbury Region

The Square, Palmerston North- Palmerston North's picturesque city square is the centre of a busy entertainment and business district
Winner Central North Island

Yellow-

Waitomo Caves- A popular tourist attraction for over 100 years, these limestone caves are famous for the light producing gloworms, a small insect no bigger than a mosquito
Winner Waikato

Mt Maunganui- A place of great importance to local Maori for more than six centuries, this beautiful mountain is also the focal point of a popluar North Island seaside resort
Winner Coromandel/Whakatane region

Art Deco Buildings, Napier- After the historical 1931 earthquake destroyed many of the Napier’s buildings, they were rebuilt in the popular art deco style of the 1930s. Napier is home to the famous Art Deco weekend every February
Winner Hawkes Bay

Red-

Ninety Mile Beach- An iconic and unspoiled beach curving up the Far North’s western coastline almost to Cape Reinga. The beach actually measures approximately 55 miles.
Winner Northland

Golden Bay- Golden Bay is home to extraordinary landscapes like Farewell Spit and Te Pupu Springs. Abel Tasman anchored here in 1642 in the first sighting of New Zealand by Europeans
Winner Nelson/Marlborough region

Moeraki Boulders, Oamaru - Acclaimed worldwide for the intriguing boulders strewn along Oamaru’s beach, these boulders are the most perfect examples of their kind in the world
Winner Otago region

Orange-

Fox Glacier- Part of a world heritage area on the spectacular West Coast of the South Island, the Fox Glacier cuts through dramatic glacial valleys to flow into temperate rainforest
Winner West Coast

Milford Sound- The most well-known of the New Zealand’s fiords, it is 16km from its head to the open sea and is the only fiord accessible by road in the Fiordland region
Winner Southland

Mt Cook - One of many mountains in the picturesque Southern Alps, at 3754 metres tall, Aoraki Mount Cook is New Zealand's highest
Winner Iconic NZ Features

Pink-

Cape Reinga Lighthouse- Situated at the very tip of the North Island 165m above sea level, this iconic lighthouse overlooks the Tasman Sea as it collides with the Pacific Ocean
Winner Iconic NZ Features

Lake Taupo- Created by the largest volcanic eruption of the past 5,000 years Lake Taupo is now renowned for its fishing, water sports and continued geothermal activity
Winner Iconic NZ Features

Queenstown Ski Fields- The spectacular natural scenery and powdery ski fields surrounding Queenstown cement the region's reputation as the adventure captial of New Zealand
Winner Culture and Lifestyle

Blue-

Te Papa- New Zealand's national museum offers visitors a unique and authentic experience of the country’s stories and treasures
Winner Culture and Lifestyle

Waitangi Treaty Grounds- Considered by many as the birth place of modern New Zealand society, this location saw the signing of the Waitangi Treaty in 1840 between Maori and the British Crown
Winner Historic Sites

Larnach Castle- Still privately owned, New Zealand's only castle was built in 1871 by William Larnach, a merchant baron and politician, for his beloved first wife Eliza
Winner Historic Sites

Brown-

Ohakune Carrot- The 'Big Carrot' was unveiled in 1984. Each year a carrot festival is held symbolising the importance of market gardening in the Ohakune region
Winner Quirky Kiwiana

Te Puke, Giant Kiwifruit- Situated in the heart of Kiwifruit country, this iconic New Zealand export was first planted here in 1904
Winner Quirky Kiwiana

Tokens

Monopoly tokens have come a long way since game designer Charles Darrow initially used buttons, pennies and items from his wife's charm bracelet to move around the board. During the past 71 years, players have plotted their course along the world's most popular game using die-cast terriers, wheelbarrows, race cars, and even a top hat.

Monopoly fans playing the new Monopoly Here & Now New Zealand Edition will now have the chance to speed past "GO" in a trendy ute, race directly to "JAIL" in a pair of jandals, and jet off to the airport riding in a supersonic airplane. updated 'Kiwified' toke:

Jandals – Giving the old shoe the boot and allowing players to stride the board in a summer favourite, this global sandal was invented by the Japanese who have worn them for over two thousand years. The name, however, is unique to our fair New Zealand shores and has been a must have in the summer wardrobes since the 1930’s.
Jar of Vegemite- New Zealanders may sometimes disparage things Australian, but we definitely love our Vegemite. Developed in Australia in 1923 when Marmite, imported from England, was in short supply, it has been produced in New Zealand for over 50 years. Often polarising social gatherings with the “Vegemite/Marmite” debate, both dark brown, yeast-based spreads are a staple on most New Zealand household shopping lists.
Labradoodle - The Scottish Terrier, once a popular pet and coveted Monopoly token, has been replaced by a new breed that is a mix between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle, brilliantly called a Labradoodle. Known for their extreme cleverness and curly coat, these dogs have become a "must have" addition to families - and Monopoly game players, too!
Mobile Phone- Our lives have been transformed since the first ‘brick’ mobile phone was introduced in the early 1980’s and today over 80% of kiwis have one (if not two!). The mobile phone can now be used for a number of different purposes other than just calling people, and if you ask most people, it is an accessory they simply ‘cannot live without’.
Airplane- Overseas travel is increasing and with 750,000 kiwis going abroad in 2006, we are definitely a nation of travellers and adventurers. Given our geographical location, the airplane has become an important part of travel for both work and play.

Laptop- Laptops allow the 'Millennial' generation the chance to conduct business, talk long distance, and surf the web anytime, anywhere. Because computers play such an important role in modern life, one of the two utilities on the game board has even been changed to "Internet Service Provider."

Sheep- Cities are growing and technology is expanding daily, but the agricultural sector is still a vital part of the economy and is where many of the key advances are being made. Despite a slight drop in numbers there are still around 10 sheep for every person in this country and lamb exports have been on the rise for the last decade making the humble sheep a natural choice for selection as a token in the lastest game.

Surfboard- With wild West Coast beaches and beautiful golden sands on the east, surfing has evolved into one of our country's most loved sports and past times since the first national championships in 1963. The surfboard is an iconic symbol of New Zealand culture and rightly takes its place as a token in the new game.

Ute Truck- From first production in the 1930’s and 1940’s the “ute” has been a mainstay on farms, country roads and even towns around New Zealand. The multi-purpose use of this utility vehicle has earnt it inclusion in the new Monopoly Here and Now edition

New Transport Sites

The Monopoly Here and Now New Zealand Edition recognises the importance transport developments since the the first Monopoly game was released through the inclusion of new New Zealand specific transport hubs on the board:

Auckland International Airport – New Zealand’s largest and busiest airport with over 11,000,000 passenger movements a year
Dunedin Railway Station- This beautifully constructed building was opened in 1906 and is regarded as one of the Southern Hemisphere’s best examples of railroad architecture
Port Tauranga- It’s origins trace back to the 1860’s when the first navigator, Captain T S Carmichael, fixed leading buoys and marks in position to define the passable channel
Picton Ferry- This picturesque waterfront town is the ferry gateway from the North to the South Island.

New Utilities
Two new utilities pay homage to our reliance on communications and technology:
Mobile Phone Company
Internet Service Provider

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Landmark Nominations for Monopoly Here and Now New Zealand

North Island

Region Landmark

Northland Poor Knights Island Reserve
Kerikeri Stone House
Ninety Mile Beach

Auckland Rangitoto Island
Sky Tower
Viaduct Harbour

Waikato Lake Karapiro
Waitomo Caves
Fieldays event

Coromandel Hot Water Beach

Bay of Plenty Mt Maunganui

Whakatane White Island

Hawkes Bay Hawkes Bay Wineries
Napier Art Deco Buildings
Tolaga Bay Wharf

Taupo Mt Ruapehu

Taranaki Pukekura Park, Festival of the Lights

Palmerston North The Square

Wellington Oriental Parade
Rimutaka Ranges
Cable Cars

South Island
Nelson/Marlborough Queen Charlotte Track
Wearable Arts Museum
Golden Bay

West Coast Fox Glacier
Punakaiki Rocks
Arthur’s Pass

Canterbury Hagley Park, Christchurch
Cathedral Square, Christchurch
Akaroa Harbour

Otago The Octagon, Dunedin
Moeraki Boulders, Oamaru

Southland Skippers Canyon
Water Tower, Invercargill
Rakuira National Park, Stewart Island
Milford Sound

Iconic NZ Features Auckland Harbour Bridge
Cape Reinga Lighthouse
Lake Taupo
Mt Cook
Abel Tasman National Park

Quirky Kiwiana Ohakune Carrot
Bluff Oysters
Giant Kiwifruit, Te Puke
Pania of the Reef statue
West Coast Wild foods festival

Cultural and Lifestyle Te Papa Museum
Beehive and Parliament Buildings
Hundertwasser Toilets, Kawakawa
Whakarewarewa
Queenstown skifields

Historic Sites Waitangi Treaty Grounds
North Head, Devonport
Titirangi, Poho o Rawiri, Cook Landing Site- East Cape
Larnach Castle, Dunedin
Arrowtown gold miner’s settlement

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