Spring Break
The Daily OrangeFrat hosts world record attempt
By Steve Doane
Posted: 8/28/08, 12:51 AM EST Section: News
Electronic beeps and the sound of rattling games pieces filled the Schine Student Center Wednesday morning as students and organizers huddled over Monopoly game boards to be part of a world record event.
These students joined five other U.S. universities and global groups totaling 3,000 internationally, hoping to be the first to set a Guinness World Record for the most people playing Monopoly at one time.
The event was organized by Hasbro and its public relations firm Hunter Public Relations to promote the release of the game's latest installment, Monopoly: Here and Now, its first international edition.
Delta Sigma Pi, the SU chapter of the national business fraternity hosted the event.
"It just seemed to fit us," said Kevin Martin, president of Delta Sigma Pi.
Martin explained that organizing the attempt at SU entailed securing a place and the witnesses required by Guinness World Records. Faculty from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management served as witnesses, ensuring all rules were being followed.
Another major challenge was getting the word out only three days after students returned to classes, said Michelle McNamara, an organizer for the fraternity.
"It's not an ideal time for us," McNamara said.
To promote the event, the group relied heavily on word of mouth and Facebook.
"It's an easy way to connect," McNamara said.
Monopoly: Here and Now, the first electronic edition, was intended to add an international flavor to the game.
"It's a world game. What better way to celebrate than with a world record," said Donetta Allen, a Hunter PR employee. "It's something we've never done before."
To count as a world record, Guinness and Hunter PR agreed on a set of rules that each group had to follow -a four-player maximum per board and games must be played for one continuous hour.
"We put out an online survey to see what cities could be on it," Allen said.
She explained that the cities with the most votes were placed in more expensive properties. Taking over the top spot from Broadway was Montreal. Other cities on the board include London, Rome and Cape Town, South Africa.
Monopoly also revamped its currency, choosing to go with plastic money, over its traditional multi-colored bills. To use the new system, players are each issued a debit card at the beginning of the round. To put money on it, they must place it in a reader and punch in how much is supposed to be added or subtracted from his or her account.
"I came out because I wanted to be part of something big," said Emily Yakawiak, an administration specialist for Whitman, who was an official Guinness witness at the event.
sdoane@syr.edu
These students joined five other U.S. universities and global groups totaling 3,000 internationally, hoping to be the first to set a Guinness World Record for the most people playing Monopoly at one time.
The event was organized by Hasbro and its public relations firm Hunter Public Relations to promote the release of the game's latest installment, Monopoly: Here and Now, its first international edition.
Delta Sigma Pi, the SU chapter of the national business fraternity hosted the event.
"It just seemed to fit us," said Kevin Martin, president of Delta Sigma Pi.
Martin explained that organizing the attempt at SU entailed securing a place and the witnesses required by Guinness World Records. Faculty from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management served as witnesses, ensuring all rules were being followed.
Another major challenge was getting the word out only three days after students returned to classes, said Michelle McNamara, an organizer for the fraternity.
"It's not an ideal time for us," McNamara said.
To promote the event, the group relied heavily on word of mouth and Facebook.
"It's an easy way to connect," McNamara said.
Monopoly: Here and Now, the first electronic edition, was intended to add an international flavor to the game.
"It's a world game. What better way to celebrate than with a world record," said Donetta Allen, a Hunter PR employee. "It's something we've never done before."
To count as a world record, Guinness and Hunter PR agreed on a set of rules that each group had to follow -a four-player maximum per board and games must be played for one continuous hour.
"We put out an online survey to see what cities could be on it," Allen said.
She explained that the cities with the most votes were placed in more expensive properties. Taking over the top spot from Broadway was Montreal. Other cities on the board include London, Rome and Cape Town, South Africa.
Monopoly also revamped its currency, choosing to go with plastic money, over its traditional multi-colored bills. To use the new system, players are each issued a debit card at the beginning of the round. To put money on it, they must place it in a reader and punch in how much is supposed to be added or subtracted from his or her account.
"I came out because I wanted to be part of something big," said Emily Yakawiak, an administration specialist for Whitman, who was an official Guinness witness at the event.
sdoane@syr.edu
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