Did you know there’s a world-record-holding Monopoly board in San Jose? Monopoly in the Park is the world’s largest permanent Monopoly board, and it’s completely interactive. Groups can actually rent it out to play a life-size game of Monopoly, officiated by game referees.
The massive Monopoly board was built in San Jose’s Discovery Meadow as part of the San Francisco Landscape and Design Show in 1992. It covers 930 square feet and holds a Guinness World Record as the largest permanent Monopoly game in the world.
The board consists of giant granite slabs to create the classic game squares, all the way from Mediterranean Avenue to Boardwalk. The corner squares weigh 236lbs, and side properties weigh 140lbs. There are also enormous ornamental dice nearby to complete the picture!
The best part is, groups can actually rent out the board for corporate teambuilding events, family get-togethers, birthday parties, you name it. Players get to roll giant dice and wear token-shaped hats to move around the board, and there is jailhouse garb on standby for those who are unlucky enough to spend a few turns in jail.
The game is officiated by a referee and played with 2 people per token, one of which is responsible for manning the token and moving around the board, and the other of which goes around exchanging money with the other players and the Banker. There are 6 tokens for 12 people, but the game can be played by tagging people in and out for larger groups. Short game rules apply, meaning that each team is given 3 properties, and hotels can be purchased after 3 houses instead of 4.
Monopoly in the Park is managed by Friends of San Jose, a nonprofit organization that works alongside the City of San Jose. For families, schools, and nonprofits, it costs $300 to rent with a $150 deposit. Corporation prices are greater than the family rental rate depending on the size of the company. Groups must book at least 30 days and up to 1 year in advance.
So, who’s up for some jumbo Monopoly?! You can find Monopoly in the Park at 330 W San Carlos Street at Discovery Meadow, next to the Children’s Discovery Museum in downtown San Jose.
Featured image: HarshLight via Flickr