"IT'S time for Grimsby to roll the dice."
That was the invitation from Monopoly bosses when they took to the top of the Dock Tower to announce that Grimsby would get its own version of the famous board game.
Grimsby will join the likes of New York, Paris and Berlin in joining the Monopoly family.
Residents are now being asked to suggest and vote for the landmarks they would like to see replace the traditional salubrious points on the original London board, Mayfair, Park Lane and others.
Robert Osborne, Monopoly development director, climbed the 635 steps of the Dock Tower with the game's famous top hat and dice.
He took in the breathtaking views before bellowing that Grimsby's turn on the board was imminent.
He said the game would be out in time for the festive season.
"We're hoping families will be sitting around playing at Christmas, trading the Dock Tower for Blundell Park," he added.
"You will not be able to go anywhere this Christmas and not see it. It will be sold around Grimsby and the surrounding areas.
"I'm sure there will be ex-pats who will buy it as well.
"It's a massive brand and everybody here wants to be involved."
He said he felt Grimsby had had a raw deal with the television show Skint and Sacha Baron Cohen's Grimsby film both negatively portraying the town.
"We've much enjoyed the charm of Grimsby," he said.
"We have scanned the country to see what places we could find and we all fell in love with this place when we came, especially with the people. There's a lot of heart here."
He continued: "Grimsby has a fantastic heritage and it's important to remember where things have come from.
"It fits the bill very well because people here have a lot of pride despite them maybe feeling disillusioned at time."
He urged people to help shape the game by suggesting the landmarks they would like to see.
"We want to see what people want and where they want things," he said.
"Cleethorpes may feature but it's really canvassing opinion and seeing what people would like."
Mike Sellers, ABP port manager for Grimsby and Immingham, also climbed to the top of the tower to help unveil the plans.
He said: "This is great news for Grimsby. It's great to be part of it.
"The Dock Tower is a great example of Victorian engineering but the port over time has modernised, we've got the heritage combined with the new operations and maintenance industry."
He said he hoped Blundell Park and the Grimsby Institute would make it onto the board.
"It puts Grimsby on the map which is where it should be," he added.
Voting began at 10am yesterday and ends at midnight on March 30.
Nominations for landmarks to fill the board and any other suggestions can be sent via e-mail to grimsby@winningmoves.co.uk or online at www.facebook.com/grimsbymonopoly, or via traditional post Grimsby Monopoly, Winning Moves UK, 7 Praed Street, London W2 1NJ.
