Nearly 100 Michigan residents might go to jail, pass go and collect a small fortune this weekend.
The Comprehensive Therapy Center in Grand Rapids is sponsoring its seventh annual Monopoly tournament to help pay for a summer program for children with special needs.
Last year, nearly 60 people rolled the dice at a chance to make it big on Boardwalk, said Terese Smith, the center's director of marketing and development. The event usually raises between $2,000 and $6,000.
"It is surprising how many people love to play Monopoly," Smith said.
There is a $20 registration fee for individual players, but the fee is waived for individual players who collect about $50 in community donations. A DVD player will be given to the contestant with the most "Community Chest contributions," Smith said.
"The competitive atmosphere of tournament play is exhilarating, and the prizes and awards are just icing on the cake," Smith said.
The tournament takes less time than the usual game played on the kitchen table, Smith said. The competition is broken down into two 90-minute rounds from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Richard M. DeVos Center on Grand Valley State University's campus.
After a fast game of wheeling, dealing and alliance-building, players total their assets and people who are not bankrupt will advance to the final round.
"Monopoly has been around here since the 1930s and it's got some staying power," Smith said. "People just like to play - they play hard and they play fast."
For more information about the tournament, call (616) 559-1054. To register online, visit therapycenter.org.
