CIM lands spot on new Monopoly: Cleveland edition board game

Next time you arrive at the Cleveland Institute of Music, be prepared to pay up.  

You could either buy the property, for $120 in little paper bills, or, if someone already owns it or has built homes or hotels on it, you could owe hundreds, even thousands.  

Them’s the breaks, in this game.  

Yes, as of Wednesday, CIM has a coveted space on Hasbro’s new Monopoly: Cleveland Edition. The school is one of several landmark organizations with a slot on the inaugural board, along with the Cleveland Metroparks, the Cleveland Browns, and Karamu House.  

“As one of America’s iconic conservatories of music, it’s only fitting that the Cleveland Institute of Music was invited to be part of Hasbro’s Monopoly Cleveland Edition,” said CIM’s President & CEO, Paul Hogle, after the unveiling Oct. 18 in Cleveland’s historic Arcade. 

“CIM and Monopoly have been synonymous with family memories for almost 100 years and we are proud to represent Cleveland’s classical music scene in such an endearing way.”  

Aptly, CIM contributed music to the unveiling. For the first time in the history of Monopoly, a press conference announcing a new game included live music – in this case, a snare drum roll and a brass quintet performance of “Cleveland Rocks,” all courtesy of CIM students.  

The unveiling, which featured an appearance by Mr. Monopoly, attracted journalists from around the region and generated substantial coverage in local news outlets.  

The new Cleveland edition of Monopoly is one of many “Community” versions of the game set in cities with well-known landmarks.  

In addition to Cleveland, the cities of Santa Barbara, Richmond, Boise, and Charleston, among others, are also set to be immortalized by Monopoly. These joined existing editions featuring Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Brooklyn, Palm Springs, and others.  

Along with CIM and the other groups previously mentioned, the new Cleveland edition of Monopoly highlights such landmarks as Terminal Tower and the Flats as well as the Cleveland Clinic, Western Reserve Historical Society, Guarino’s restaurant, Cleveland State University, and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 

“We encourage all people not only to enjoy the game but also to visit these Cleveland landmarks,” said Rhonda Brown, the City of Cleveland’s senior strategist for arts, culture, and the creative economy.   

A space on the board isn’t the only perk for CIM in the new edition of Monopoly. Along with the property, CIM also figures on a “Community Chest” reward card.  

“Congratulations!,” the card reads. “You’ve graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and your career representing the future of classical music begins.”  

To purchase a copy of the game, click here.