East Riding of Yorkshire Council has raised a "particular concern" over a 60,000 sq ft office block, which is part of the proposal.
Officers said the application, which is due to be discussed at the authority's planning committee later this month, "will be recommended for refusal".
The Humber Bridge Board said it would be pursuing the plans at the meeting.
Under the proposed scheme, which also includes a hotel and a restaurant overlooking the water, visitors can travel under the bridge at Hessle in a glass gondola before changing to the lift, which raises them 510 ft (155m) to the top of the north tower.
In a letter to the board, Alan Menzies, director of planning and economic regeneration, said: "The advice of officers at the pre-application stage was clear in expressing concerns that it would be difficult to justify new large scale office development in the open countryside, contrary to the town centre first approach advocated by national planning policy."
Mr Menzies went on to suggest: "If the large office building was to be withdrawn from the application then officers would then be in a position to support (in principle) the remaining elements of the scheme."
Board chairman Rob Waltham said: "When it goes to the planning committee, we will be presenting the strongest possible case to say that the plans are right for the Humber Bridge and its development."
If approved the new centre could be open at the end of 2017.
Construction began in July 1972, taking eight years to complete
It is held up by 44,117 miles (71,000km) of steel wire, almost enough to travel twice around the world
The bridge is 7,283 ft (2,220 m) long from shore to shore
It weighs more than 500,000 tonnes
With a central span of 4,626 ft (1,410m), it is the seventh longest suspension bridge in the world
It was officially opened by HM the Queen on 17 July 1981
Source: Humber Bridge Board
Plans for a Humber Bridge visitor centre and glass lift are likely to be shelved by council officials.