Steve,
Well, let's see. Still another super secret, private section of a forum. Yes, that's been done before albeit with a poor success rate at best.
No need for a private area for roulette specific "data" as that's normally found in most forums anyway.
No need for a private area for roulette specific "ideas" as that's been done to death and the members eventually drift off and discover other things.
No need for a think tank as those are all over the place, with varying degrees of success, mostly none.
However, a private area, devoid of clowns, trolls, jokes, Martingales, and open only by invitation, probably based on SEVERAL recommendations might just work out for awhile.
If it grows, ever so slowly, it could even wind up actually being a productive area for serious and like minded players.
One needs only to read the message traffic on any of the boards to almost determine who plays, who dreams and who never even has a clue.
Here's hoping you do get some good ideas for the private area and that it does work out eventually.
However, you may find that your most desired member element may just be drifting through the forums, browsing and looking, but remaining silent.
Hopefully this will be taken as it was intended, and that was as a constructive comment and not a bash at your idea.
AD