It's tough to keep up with all of the Dubai news out there, and sometimes these stories fall through the cracks. Take this seemingly benign story from LA trade publication Variety from last week - Mideast eager for Hollywood business

Here's one paragraph that's particularly interesting to me:

"Rumors out of Dubai also suggest that officials there are holding talks with Disney execs about the possibility of establishing a multimedia fund that will include making coin available for Pixar features based on Middle Eastern-themed stories. Those talks are still at an early stage, and it would likely be months before any deal is formally inked or announced."

So they want Middle Eastern-themed Pixar CGI movies?

I bet, if negotiations are really proceeding, that someone here (in Dubai) wants a Disney park for Dubailand, and that's what they're offering.

But, as we've discussed a dozen or more times, these days Disney requires majority ownership in all theme parks. They don't own Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea, they only license the name. And franchising like that isn't nearly as lucrative as owning a majority stake.

But of course in Dubai local companies own everything. Six Flags, SeaWord, Marvel Comics, DreamWorks - all of the parks we've talked about will be owned outright by Tatweer, Nakheel, or whatever local company is developing the property.

And that ... that's the rub.

But you just know it irks the hell out of Dubai that they won't have a Disney park. You just know it.