# What would entail owning a city?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-entail-owning-a-city/590553
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 27, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-entail-owning-a-city/590553 "2011-07-27T23:24:26Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-entail-owning-a-city/590553/1 "2011-07-27T23:24:26Z")
[Scenic, SD is for sale for a paltry $800,000](http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upshot/own-own-town-800k-210019125.html). Supposing I wanted to buy it, what would I be responsible for? Would I be the landlord of the 10 people that lived there? Would I be the mayor? Could I set up my own government? Could I level it and re-build? If someone owns it, could it be established as a for-profit entity? A non-profit entity? Could I levy taxes on the residents as a form of income?
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-entail-owning-a-city/590553/2 "2011-07-27T23:31:20Z")
There’s a link in your very own cite that discusses this.
[How to buy a town: Have plenty of cash – and patience
Owning your own ZIP code can be a dream or a nightmare. One thing it will never be is easy.
By Karen Aho of MSN Real Estate](http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=13107850)
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2011, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-entail-owning-a-city/590553/3 "2011-07-27T23:37:48Z")
I’m sure Kim Basinger could give some pointers.
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### Author:  [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-entail-owning-a-city/590553/4 "2011-07-28T01:05:52Z")
Didn’t Bruce Willis also buy a town? Ended in tears as I recall
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### Author:  [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-entail-owning-a-city/590553/5 "2011-07-28T02:46:33Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#):
>
> There’s a link in your very own cite that discusses this.
>
> [How to buy a town: Have plenty of cash – and patience
> Owning your own ZIP code can be a dream or a nightmare. One thing it will never be is easy.
> By Karen Aho of MSN Real Estate](http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=13107850)
:smack:
How would someone make a town that they bought (like the one in SD) viable, livable, marketable? How would you go about establishing a tax base?
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### Author:  [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2011, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-entail-owning-a-city/590553/6 "2011-07-28T05:24:09Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#):
>
> I’m sure Kim Basinger could give some pointers.
But first, you must pass the test of ages.
You must correctly pronounce her surname.
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### Author:  [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2011, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-entail-owning-a-city/590553/7 "2011-07-28T05:37:04Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#):
>
> [Scenic, SD is for sale for a paltry $800,000](http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upshot/own-own-town-800k-210019125.html). Supposing I wanted to buy it, what would I be responsible for? Would I be the landlord of the 10 people that lived there? Would I be the mayor? Could I set up my own government? Could I level it and re-build? If someone owns it, could it be established as a for-profit entity? A non-profit entity? Could I levy taxes on the residents as a form of income?
First thing that comes to mind: Pastureland for sheep or cattle will help your city grow. Are there mountains nearby where you can get more hammers, or a nice river and floodplain where cottages can produce gold? How are its defensive bonuses?