Dubailand was the trademark project of Tatweer, a subsidiary of state-owned Dubai Holding that recently merged into Dubai Properties, a developer of residental and commercial high-rises in Dubai. Current brochures state that Dubailand Phase 1 is 'fully operational': Dubai Autodrome (a race track that opened in 2004), Dubai Sports City (a cricket stadium, golf courses and villas), Dubai Outlet City (a mall), Global Village (a seasonal fun fair operating since 1996) and Al Sahra Desert Resort (a show venue in the desert).

Well, if Dubailand is about residential property and recreation, it can claim some progress. But if it's about gargantuan world-class theme parks, as the name suggests, it's a cursed story. The biggest series of back-to-back theme park announcements in history involving brands like Universal Studios, Dreamworks Animation, Marvel, Six Flags, Lego and Paramount results in not even a single one materializing? What a chimerical tale!

Yet, the final chapter may not have been written. No theme park construction whatsoever took place in Dubailand's desert territory last year. During the same period, the massive Ferrari World indoor theme park has been rising subtly from the sand in neighboring Abu Dhabi. Due to open later this year, its massive structure looks a bit like a piece of the insane Dubailand sales center model still exhibited to the public today. It's going to be the first world-class, monster-budget theme park in the Middle East and I believe its success or failure will co-determine the fate of the title holder of this review.