The image of the striking contrast of western and eastern culture might be at the heart of Iger's challenge in collaborating with the local government, which owns a 57% stake in the resort.

FORBES: Is Iger's Disney Losing Its Magic In Hong Kong?

Everywhere you go you are assaulted up by the piled-up mementos of Western culture (and Eastern, and intergalactic), jumbled together with no sense of scale, appropriateness or even a basic understanding of the underlying ideas.

FORBES: Why I Hate Vegas - And Apple Sync, Too

Singapore's government has worked to marry Eastern culture and Western business practices, and the country is now the world's fourth leading financial center, behind London, New York and Hong Kong.

WSJ: Ian Bremmer on Pivot States