Consolidating the Estate

Forum to discuss and coordinate the expansion of the CDS and the redevelopment of existing territories.

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Patroklus Murakami
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Consolidating the Estate

Post by Patroklus Murakami »

Our Chancellor, Rosie Gray, has sent out a survey to citizens about the future of the CDS. I thought I would start a thread here to discuss this in public as I think the debate might be helpful. I also see that some of the 'white walkers' on Jerry's laughable 'free folk' forum are looking to get hold of the survey and muddy the results so we may need to hold this discussion in the forums and inworld to really get a handle on what real CDS citizens think. (Though, judging by their posts, the 'white walkers' should be easy to identify. Just look for incoherent, vitriolic nonsense and you have them pegged).

My view is that we should sell off two of our regions - my money would be on Colonia Nova and Locus Amoenus - and consolidate the estate on the remaining four regions.

We are currently losing money because we don't have sufficient occupancy across the whole Estate to pay tier. Now, we have healthy reserves which will keep us afloat for some considerable time but my basic view is that if we can't raise the money to pay for the regions we have, we should cut back until we can.

The RA took the decision to open up a new region and it was hoped that this would generate enthusiasm and bring in new people. The Chancellor had a marketing plan to help too. None of that is wrong or foolish but it hasn't turned out the way we had hoped. We need to face up to that and take some hard decisions.

Now, you could argue about whether we need to sell off only one or two regions. Maybe we should just sell off one, see how we go and then consider a second. But I think it's always better to just rip the band-aid off in one go rather than peel it off slowly and rip the hairs out one by one. I also think the regions to go should be Colonia Nova and Locus Amoenus. The time when 'Roman' sold as a theme is now long gone and we all bear scars from trying to make a go of LA over the years. Time to let them go, concentrate on the medieval, Alpine and Bavarian themes that have worked well for us and make a go of that. It would be a shame, for example, to have to close Friedsee (rather than one of the other regions) when it's only just been opened!

How about a referendum to decide? Two questions: "do we sell off one region or two?" And, "which region(s) should go?" We could add that to the ballot for the May elections and debate the issue over the next month and a bit.

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Rosie Gray
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Re: Consolidating the Estate

Post by Rosie Gray »

Just a few things to note:

It is entirely possible that the "white walkers" will get a hold of the survey, which is why I've asked for names of respondents (although it is not mandatory). It should become obvious who they are if they do respond to it.

I am planning on having inworld meetings after the survey is closed so that citizens can discuss the results.

On January 23rd, the current RA changed the theme of Colonia Nova to a generic Mediterranean, which is much more attractive to most people than the previous Ancient Roman. However, there has been a vacuum of people to help make the adjustments to it that would reflect that - and no requirement that current owners change their buildings. It was meant to be a gradual and easy change. You can read the current specific covenant here: http://portal.slcds.info/index.php/cds- ... onia-nova/

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Han Held
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Re: Consolidating the Estate

Post by Han Held »

On one hand it would be a shame to let go of Friedsee, on the other hand it's the first one I would think of to divest.
I may be wrong, but as I read the numbers, Friedsee and LA are the lowest occupied regions. It makes the most amount of sense to move those people onto equivalent parcels (as much as possible) and then sell them off.

We're bleeding money and I definately support selling off two regions.

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Rosie Gray
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Re: Consolidating the Estate

Post by Rosie Gray »

It's not a great situation we find ourselves in, but we have time to discuss and think about this properly - and still there is the possibility of turning things around IF everyone would pull together.

There's been some really positive feedback from the citizens on the survey, and we have already seen some results with some large parcels being purchased. Also, we have a couple of new citizens who also have large parcels. Let's try to focus on the positive - work together - and try to turn things around.

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Coop
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Re: Consolidating the Estate

Post by Coop »

Also consider that CN is a grandfathered sim, and the tier is less than a 'new' one. While a rebuild would be time consuming, in the end it would be best to keep the cheaper tier rated sim, even if it was moved and rethemed.

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Widget Whiteberry
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Re: Consolidating the Estate

Post by Widget Whiteberry »

We have a wonderful opportunity here. Since the impetus for consolidation is fiscal, let's consider this snapshot which looks to me to be current as of this hour.

NFS costs us $195./mo. Occupancy breakeven is 79.39%. Occupancy is 85.47%
CN costs us $195./mo. Occupancy breakeven is 72.44%. Occupancy is 64.66%
AM costs us $295./mo. Occupancy breakeven is 84.03%. Occupancy is 77.78%
LA costs us $295./mo. Occupancy breakeven is 83.85%. Occupancy is 54.37%
MON costs us $95./mo. Occupancy breakeven is 78.31%. Occupancy is 83.35%
FDS costs us $295./mo. Occupancy breakeven is 80.76%. Occupancy is 44.49%

These shortfalls in occupancy have been costing us $250-$320/mo for several months. Supply and demand are out of wack. Divesting ourselves of one region costing $295 a month puts us on or close to a breakeven financial footing. However, divesting ourselves of 2 regions costing $295/mo puts us on a sounder financial footing.

Redesigning some of the remaining regions could doubtless increase the desirability of the regions we keep.

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Tanoujin Milestone
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Re: Consolidating the Estate

Post by Tanoujin Milestone »

I am looking at the financial report January 31th, 2016, Item 6: Reserves Avatar Account, finding a L$ balance of 2,485,235 there. Sold at the LindeX today we would get US$ 9,247.49. Given we lose 300 US$ per month we can go on doing nothing for about 30 months until we hit the floor in July 2018. Please correct me if I am wrong here.

Now I would like to know what amount of reserves the citizenry rates as "healthy". As much as possible? About 2,000 US$? A black zero? Imho this should be discussed.

I think we have the chance right now to reduce the reserves to a healthy amount while we run plan A): trying to attract more citizens to generate the tier revenue to break even - possible sim redesign included.

As soon as we arrive at the limit of reserves we should agree upon, there has to be a plan B). We need a consent which sim(s) has (have) to be sold until then. We would need a relocation plan for citizens who are facing homelessness as well. I do not think we can just leave that to the "invisible hand of the market".

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Sudane Erato
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Re: Consolidating the Estate

Post by Sudane Erato »

I am in very substantial agreement with Tan here. and I would also underline RG's point about which sims are grandfathered and which not. Pat's premise which started this thread is a good one to start thinking and talking about, but this "project" can be and should be a very "go slow" process of careful consideration.

I hope to get the February report on line this weekend... but I think it will be similar to January's.

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Re: Consolidating the Estate

Post by Nolligan »

To place the fortunes of the CDS estate within a broader context it is helpful to look at Tyche Shepherd's highly informative Grid Survey which shows that the number of private estates has been in continuous decline since June 2012.

http://www.gridsurvey.com/

Currently there are approximately 17,500 private estates which, if I read Grid Survey's graph correctly, is equivalent to the number there were in May 2008.

Out of interest how big was CDS in May 2008?

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Widget Whiteberry
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Re: Consolidating the Estate

Post by Widget Whiteberry »

Where are you seeing May 2008?

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Patroklus Murakami
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Re: Consolidating the Estate

Post by Patroklus Murakami »

Nolligan wrote:

To place the fortunes of the CDS estate within a broader context it is helpful to look at Tyche Shepherd's highly informative Grid Survey which shows that the number of private estates has been in continuous decline since June 2012.

http://www.gridsurvey.com/

Currently there are approximately 17,500 private estates which, if I read Grid Survey's graph correctly, is equivalent to the number there were in May 2008.

Out of interest how big was CDS in May 2008?

I had a quick look at the Portal for the history of our expansion. In May 2008 we had three regions:

Neufreistadt from 2005
Colonia Nova from 2006
Alpine Meadow from 2007.

Our fourth region, Locus Amoenus, did not open until August 2008.

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Rosie Gray
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Re: Consolidating the Estate

Post by Rosie Gray »

Monastery, 2010, and of course Friedsee, 2015. (Just to finish the picture.)

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Coop
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Re: Consolidating the Estate

Post by Coop »

Widget Whiteberry wrote:

Where are you seeing May 2008?

If you go to the Grid Survey website, there is a chart showing the number of active regions, and if you go from the current size back across to the corresponding point on the graph you find the May 2008 spot. The Grid Survey has a lot of information on it. Lots and lots. (like my favorite is around 18 and some change percent of the mainland is abandoned land).

The takeaway for me is that while private estates are still making around 3.4 Million USD for the Lab, the number of private estates are going down. Just looking at the numbers for the income, I figure that under current tenancy, 4 sims would be much more viable financially.

I now lay down the command of my legions and retire to private life. Marcus Licinius Crassus
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