Reuters

By Mohammed Abbas

MANAMA, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is in talks with investors to build an $8 billion Disneyland theme park in Bahrain, at the heart of the world's biggest oil exporting region, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The project would be based on Walt Disney Co.'s (DIS.N: Quote, Profile , Research) theme parks and could be called "Disney Bahrain", Bahrain's al-Waqt newspaper said, citing an unnamed source.

The report did not make clear whether the U.S. company was directly involved in the talks to build the first Disney theme park in the Gulf, where incomes have surged after a tripling of oil prices in the five years to last July.

Alwaleed, the world's eighth richest man, is talking to investors including Kuwait Finance House (KFIN.KW: Quote, Profile , Research), the Gulf's second largest Islamic bank by market value, and Bahraini institutions, the paper said.

Alwaleed indirectly owns 10 percent of Disneyland Paris operator Euro Disney (EDLP.PA: Quote, Profile , Research), and his Rotana Audio Visual Co., signed a deal in November to distribute Walt Disney products across the Middle East and North Africa.

I guess Michael Jackson is moonwalking the sands right now with joy!!!!

Cedar Fair buys all the Paramount parks for 1.2 billion. If this does indeed happen it should be a super huge Theme Park for 8 billion dollars.

Its hard to just compare Disney rides/parks and the rest of the theme park industry. All large Disney rides cost $100 plus million to build. Disney's California Adventure cost about $1 billion to build. Which just about everyone considers a below average Disney park. A single decent sized Disney park will cost 2 billion to build. I have no idea what the local building costs are and just how much more then a park they plan to build or how big of a park. I do expect at least one large hotel. But 8 billion should pay for a lot more then just a park.

Don't call me "just about everyone." California's Adventure is my second favorite Disney park. It just so happens to be right beside my favorite.