He Caught the Plane to Reno, But Missed Catching a Ride on the Reading

Texas mortgage-company manager makes the Reno round of Monopoly contest

July 30, 2003

By ANNE LINEBERRY

Texan Joe Peery travelled to Harrah’s Reno, on the casino, after being chosen as one of 125 potential contestants for a life-sized monopoly game, according to the Orange Leader.

The Leader reported that Peery registered for the game at a Lake Charles casino, passed at least two elimination rounds, and won $1,200 as well as the trip to Reno and a chance to win $100,000 in the Monopoly game.

Peery and 124 other hopefuls were to participate in more knock-out scenarios, including rolling giant dice and drawing “Chance” cards. The few remaining playing would control actors dressed as the Monopoly game pieces for a trip around the board, the Leader reported.

The home-mortgage company manager didn’t make the final competition, according to spokespeople for Trahan, Burden and Charles (TBC), the company that put on the promotion.

Though Peery was unavailable for comment, both spokespeople for TBC said that Peery seemed to be having a great time at the casino in spite of getting knocked out of the game before the final round.

These observations follow what Peery told the Orange Leader before he left on the trip. According to the paper, he knew that even getting into the game had long odds.

“The way I look at it I have already won $1,200 and a trip to Reno,” Peery told the paper.

According to an editor at Orange Leader, Peery manages the Orange, Texas, branch of the Allied Mortgage Capital Corporation. Calls to the company received a message at the branch office that says that it will be closed for half the week.

Anne Lineberry is MortgageDaily.com‘s editor. She previously worked as an online editor/producer for DallasNews.com and on the Metropolitan desk for the print edition of The Dallas Morning News. Email Anne at AnneLineberry@MortgageDaily.com