Atlantic City, New Jersey, has certainly seen better days.
Once a mecca for beach-lovers and home to the Miss America Pageant since 1921, the city is not doing so well lately. The casino industry, which was supposed to be the salvation of the city, has mostly kept the wealth within the industry rather than it funneling out into the community. And this year, the Miss American Pageant officially jumped ship as well and moved out of town for good.
Now, it seems the city's last claim to fame is about to fade away, too. Because Monopoly is also going to abandon Atlantic City and is setting its sights on making the 70+ year old board game a more comprehensive representation of America. The game's makers are launching a "Here and Now" edition this fall, one which will replace all the original Atlantic City street names with national landmarks and famous locations.
If you want to help drive the final nail in Atlantic City's "Monopoly" coffin (it's the end of an era!), you can even vote for your favorite landmarks through May 12th at www.monopoly.com, and those with the most votes will be included in the new game. Famous places in major cities all over America are included in the vote -- including the French Quarter in New Orleans. Each city offers 3 choices, and you can pick one from each city and see which landmarks are getting the most votes.
