Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary is three years away, but plans are under way for an elaborate celebration that could cost as much as $9.9 million to promote, produce and advertise, according to a report circulating among potential funders.

Two local consultants, paid $50,000 by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, are recommending that regional officials get several things done by 2008 to boost the profile of Pittsburgh and change its image nationally.

They include completion of the Great Allegheny Passage, a trail connecting Washington, D.C., to Pittsburgh; restoration and renovation of Point State Park; development of a Greater Oakland Technology Center on the site of the old LTV Hazelwood coke works; completion of the renovation of the Hot Metal Bridge; the commissioning of an "iconic" piece of Pittsburgh-themed art; and construction of a monument noting the achievements of prominent Pittsburghers, termed a "Promenade of Stars."

The celebration would culminate with two weekends of events in November 2008, capped by a gala on Nov. 15.