NATCHEZ — Taking a stroll around Natchez will soon be easier than ever.

First Church of Natchez on U.S. 61 North is working on developing a Natchezopoly board game to sell as a fundraiser for their Relay for Life team.

Melody Wedergen, church member and graphic designer, said the team is seeking sponsors from the business and historic Natchez communities to represent spaces on the board.

Wedergen said other than raising funds for a good cause, she sees this game as an opportunity to market Natchez anywhere the game may travel.

“If someone purchases this game while they are in Natchez and takes it back home to Minnesota or wherever they are from, when they play it with their friends and family it will entice other folks to come visit our city,” Wedergen said.

Wedergen said the game is not affiliated with Monopoly but has very similar rules.

“It’s a real estate game for Natchez,” she said.

Players start with the same amount of money from the bank and then use that money to purchase property. Players make money by collecting “rent” from other players that land on spots already owned. Players can buy all of the properties in the same color group and then add customers to the properties, making them more valuable.

Players can trade and sell properties between themselves and there is even spot letting players know it is time to pay taxes.

There are approximately 42 spots on the board available for sponsorship, four of which are larger corner spots.

The Natchez Convention and Visitor’s Bureau is already signed on to sponsor the “start” space on the board.

Sponsorships for regular spaces are $250 and $400 for corner spots.

Wedergen said she is hoping to get a good representation of Natchez to cover the game board so folks will know what all the city has to offer.

“I want to make sure the history of Natchez stands out,” she said. “I really think this will become a collectors item for the city and for tourists that come here to visit.

“Natchez has so much history and it will be neat to have it represented this way.”

Game players will move around the board, landing on Natchez landmarks and then will have the chance to buy and sell spots to collect property and cash.

The game set comes with everything needed to play, including money that can also be sponsored by local businesses.

“If one bank or two or three banks want to sponsor the money pieces we can have their logos and information put on there,” Wedergen said.

The spaces can include pictures, logos and business information for the sponsoring businesses.

The church set a loose deadline of Spring Pilgrimage to have the game ready to distribute, but Wedergen said she isn’t going to be discouraged if that doesn’t happen.

“We want it to be good, so we aren’t just going to throw it together just to have it done,” she said. “We are going to keep moving ahead.”

Anyone wanting to sponsor a space can contact Wedergen at 601-392-0132 or by e-mail at melody@marketstreetgraphics.com. More information is available at natchezopoly.blogspot.com/.