1. Scripting times
2. Original idea's
3. Community
4. Standing in the community
If someone was to get hold of the script they would still fail, you would need to build up your user base, even if you managed 200 players, soon someone would notice its just a ripoff of LW's in which people would start to leave for the main reason:
The script is not original....
Just say that the server and site were one day sold, you then open up a flood gate for advertising, all the people who join the server and come on here could be bombarded with adverts, even ingame text adverts. Thats a big sum o money for the owner but kills off the game, scripting time, just think the server has been around since the bigging and has always been popular. The script has undergone MAJOR updates and complete changes to be where it is today, there is so much to do.
I would go into more detail, but this site alone is worth alot of money, think of the ad's that could be used to generate income? What if the domain was parked? So $500 for the script? lol.
$500 is nothing, thats like offering sa-mp.com $500 for the domain name, it would never happen, their standing is to big, their user base is to big and it would be abused.
If you want to get on the officals with a good script, write one!