You nailed it.
The team built a great product (because it's a clone of a great product) but the rollout was absolutely a mistake. I think a number of people play the game to develop their city, and by opening an new region you're now developing multiple places. There was zero explanation of this, the mechanic of leveling up and opening a new region shouldn't be the same thing because they are nothing alike.
I am thinking about quitting the game, which is a shame. All of the things I was so close to completing are now corrupted by yoga mats and other * I have no storage, time to develop, or desire to have. I was trying to make the best Capital City I could with friends, and now I'm thinking about ditching the game ... inside of one day. What a shame.