Whitehorse city council will vote Tuesday evening on whether to jump on board a Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce project.

The chamber is asking the city for $5,000 to sponsor the Yukon On Board game it's producing. The game is designed to promote tourism in the city and territory.

Artist Jim Robb is doing the art work for the centre of the board, where the city's sponsorship would be profiled.

Chamber president Rick Karp and chair Donna Mercier told council in a presentation at last Monday evening's meeting the game is similar to the Monopoly board game, with two editions planned for the Yukon.

The first edition, which will see 2,500 games produced, is planned to be on shelves this year with at least another 3,000 planned for the second edition to be released in the winter of 2006 for the 2007 Canada Winter Games.

'Our timeline is we want to get (the first edition out) in June in time for the tourist season,' Mercier said.

More than 15 businesses and organizations have committed to sponsoring the game, she said. Sponsorship is also coming from businesses in communities like Watson Lake and Dawson City.

The chamber is estimating approximately 50 per cent of the first run will end up Outside, while approximately 85 per cent of the second run will end up going to other regions of the country.

In addition to tourists purchasing Yukon On Board, the chamber is predicting games will be mailed to friends and relatives of Yukoners.

'It's interesting the applications (for the game) businesses have thought of,' Mercier noted, pointing to the Re/Max sponsorship.

The real estate company will be giving out games to those who buy houses through their realtors. Re/Max also sponsored the Winnipeg On Board game.

Karp pointed out the On Board games have been produced throughout the country, with most editions selling out.

Yukon On Board will be priced at $39.95 and be sold at local retailers. Inside the game will also be inserts advertising tourism products in the territory.

In a document presented to council, the chamber pointed to a number of benefits that could come from the sale of the game.

With the chamber membership at more than 400 businesses, for example, many will be advertising on the game and may purchase it to send to family and friends across the country.

The inserts in the game will advertise Yukon tourism, the document notes. It also points out in another region where an On Board game was produced a series of coupons for visitors were included as well.

'These coupons and the inserts will help keep tourists in the Yukon longer than they had expected to stay. We will be working on having a number of brochures outlining things to do in the Yukon to assist with this initiative,' reads the document.

Family and friends of game recipients across Canada will likely be introduced to it as well, which will also help increase interest and visits to the territory, council was told.

'In the mix there are those that may be contemplating a visit to the Yukon,' reads the information from the chamber.

'A strong tourism presence in the board game will push them to make the decision to come up to the Yukon; especially if there are some incentives.'

This will also help serve as an economic generator for the territory, the chamber suggested.

Karp added anyone sponsoring the first run for this year will be included in the second run.

'If the city does not (sponsor the game), of course, that would clearly impact the board,' he said.

There are about 40 spaces on the board, Karp said, estimating the chamber is about half way to getting full sponsorship for the game.

In addition to the spaces players will move around on the board, there are cards in the game that can be customized for sponsors.

'As we said to Mayor (Ernie) Bourassa, we're open to ideas as well,' Mercier said.

Coun. Doug Graham pointed out the budget for this year has already been set, with the city not having a lot of flexibility in spending.

'Even if all of us decide that it's a great idea and we want to get on board, somewhere the money has to be found, and that's always the problem,' he said.