The new St. George's World Heritage Visitor Centre is unlikely to be open for two or three years, The Royal Gazette has learned.

The centre will be at the old Queen's Warehouse on Penno's Wharf, but the St.

George's Foundation believes it may need to raise up to $10 million for refurbishment.

Around $3 million has already been raised as part of the on-going capital campaign, which aims to generate $20 million over ten years.

The Old Town and its surrounding fortifications were granted United Nations world heritage status last year, but the showpiece visitor centre will not be open in the near future.

Foundation chairman David Rowntree told The Royal Gazette yesterday: "I would love to say we will be open this year, but the reality is that it may take two or three years and it may take as much as $10 million.

"We need to get the money and we've gone through two sets of consultants: one to prepare a business plan, and the other to give us an idea of how it will be designed.

"Then we have to come up with various costs of the different elements and then go out to tender.'' A video for the new centre will cost $250,000 alone, he revealed.

Mr. Rowntree said the Foundation will eventually ask Government to make a contribution to the centre, but it wants to raise as much as possible from the private sector first.

"I dare say at the appropriate time we will be making the call to Government for funding, but not at this point.'' He said he was not disappointed that it may take so long to open the centre and predicted projects will move a lot faster when the Foundation appoints the full-time chief executive for which it recently advertised.

"We are very pleased with the progress we are making. Every time we turn around someone wants to throw a ball in the air for us to catch because there are so many great ideas around,'' said Mr. Rowntree.

"We can't catch all the balls in the air at the moment, but once we get the administration in place there will be no stopping us.'' Mr. Rowntree said the redesigned two storey centre will feature a lecture theatre and tourists and Bermudians will be given a comprehensive introduction to the town's history before setting off on walking tours.

He said he hopes that visits to the centre will eventually form an integral part of the history curriculum in the Island's schools.

And he stressed the centre will not deter visitors from other cultural information sites such as the Heritage Museum.