I'm still too new to feel confident in choosing one way or the other, but I will say what drew me to Eastbound was its intimate/cozy vibe, and it being invite-only did not at all affect how incredibly welcoming and lovely the experience was.

Like Sheep, I'd worry a little about keeping up if it grows past a certain size/pace, but that's a me thing, and ultimately I'd strongly support whatever makes mod life/mod load easier and, of course, majority's preference.