BERMUDIAN entrepreneur Patrick Bean is losing patience with the Department of Tourism as he awaits the green light to push ahead with a $46-million plan to redevelop the site of the former Club Med building in St. George's.

Mr. Bean said he and his mostly American financial backers had come to the end of their tether and were considering withdrawing their proposals within as soon as a fortnight.

The proposal from Mr. Bean is one of seven that has been under consideration by a Tourism Department Selection Committee and eventually Tourism Minister Ren?e Webb will recommend one of them to Cabinet.

"We've been ready to go for pretty much two years," said Mr. Bean. "Right now, I'm just about hanging on, because I know there are individuals out there who believe in me and believe that what I'm doing will benefit the country.

"Sometimes, I think that people in the Government don't realise how difficult it is to put together more than $40 million of investors' money.

"I really had to sell Bermuda. These people have put a lot of faith in me. One of my backers called me 15 minutes ago to talk about whether we should keep trying and he said, 'Patrick, it's your call'."

Mr. Bean and American developers SteppingRock Holdings intend to build a 110-room hotel, as well as 60 condominiums and town houses on the East End site.

In addition, they plan an up-market clinic which would specialise in treating injured athletes, as well as rehabilitating drug addicts.

The scheme includes a provision to enhance St. George's Golf Course, to build a new sewage treatment plant and to improve St. Catherine's Fort.

Nearly four months ago, Mr. Bean told this newspaper of his frustration at the lack of progress with his project and accused Minister Webb of "turning a deaf ear" to him.

A statement at that time from the Department of Tourism said that Minister Webb had not spoken to any of the applicants.

Yesterday, Mr. Bean said he was also involved in a scheme in Mexico and was considering further developments in the Turks & Caicos Islands.

"I want to do this because I know it would be a good thing for my country," said Mr. Bean, a former employee of BCM McAlpine. "But we have come up against too much red tape and procrastination.

"I'm prepared to wait a little longer. If I don't hear anything from the Bermuda Government, preferably in writing, or if I don't get some sort of indication that a deal could be struck or that they were willing to work with me, I might just wait another two weeks and say 'that's it'.

"I can't be sitting around on my backers' money for ever."

Mr. Bean's group would also like to talk to Government about plans to build a new airport for Bermuda and to help with the development of the National Sports Centre.

SteppingRock Holdings is a Dallas-based company which has interests in countries including Costa Rica and Mexico as well as the US.