I also understand "Company Towns" as I also lived in one and was raised for a part of my life in Western Pennsylvania and went to college in the Steel Plants areas. As I had said The Villages is the modern day upscale like Company Town. The houses are much better but in some area all look alike, allegedly the Owner/Developer gets a portion of the Businesses who want to do business in the town, the political structure is a creation that supports the Owner/Developer, the residents have only partial say in their ability to control the actions in The Villages, etc etc. As I have said, we really like the Villages and will be "Frogs" however that does not detract from what it is.There are big differences. In the old PA Company Town the residents were very poor and were able to survive through the Mine Owner. That of course is not the case in The Villages but the Owner/Developer still has a major say in your on going economics and to deny that is kind of like being an Ostrich.
