Work on the St. George's Golf Course is to start this year, according to the Corporation.

Hotelier Carl Bazarian has pledged to break ground on a new 18-hole course in 2010, the Corporation of St. George's Deputy Mayor told a public meeting this week.

"The idea was, if the hotel wasn't going to be built for a while, we'd like to temporarily open the golf course," Garth Rothwell said.

"But we needed two years to get the business plan in place, and when we talked to Mr. Bazarian about that, he said, 'Sorry, but I intend to start work on the golf course this year'. So the proposal was shelved. Hopefully work will now start on the golf course within the year.

"If it appears that's not going to happen then that idea [the plan] will be revisited."

The St. George's Golf Course has been closed since July 2008, following the announcement of the proposed Park Hyatt resort.

Mr. Rothwell said the Corporation had since teamed up with St. George's Club and Belmont Hills to "put together a business plan". The parties also contacted the Economic Empowerment Zone team, who visited St. George's to examine the proposal.

US investor Mr. Bazarian, owner of Bazarian International, announced plans to build the five-star Park Hyatt in April, 2008.

The $294 million hotel will be managed by Park Hyatt and will consist of 100 rooms, 140 condos and 40 fractional ownership units. In June last year, Premier Ewart Brown said financing was at "an advanced stage" for the resort, with the final documents to be signed in July.

When this newspaper asked for an update on the hotel project yesterday, a spokesman for Dr. Brown declined to comment. However, he said: "The next announcement will be major and comprehensive."