A riverside site in Inverness which was earmarked for a hotel could now become home to a revamped city museum and gallery.
Plans for luxury accommodation in Glebe Street collapsed earlier this year without explanation.
Now the site is on a shortlist to become the location of a tourist attraction for the Highland capital.
Other potential sites include Inverness College’s Midmills building, the Farraline Park library and Bridge Street.
Scott Dalgarno, Highland council’s development plans manager, said nothing was being ruled out at this stage.
He said: “A hotel could still be built there but it is worth looking at this as an option.”
He said the river was key to the future development of the city. There is no other city in Scotland where the river is so close to the shops and retail core.
“It is at the heart of the community here.”
Ensuring there is a major tourist attraction in the city centre is one of the priorities for a new taskforce set up by Highland Council to co-ordinate the regeneration of Inverness city centre.
The group, which will be chaired by director of planning, Stuart Black, will also look at the ongoing revamp of Academy Street and improvements to pedestrian movements between the rail and bus stations.
Funding of £1.6million was given to the council in February to transform the rundown Academy Street area.
And yesterday members of the public got to have their say on what should happen in the city centre during a public exhibition.
People were encouraged to write down their ideas for planners involved in drawing up a revised development brief.
Some of the council’s areas of focus are the layout and design of buildings, streets and open spaces, methods of travel, facilities and shop and space for business growth.
But members of the public leaving notes yesterday called for more parking, lower business rates and free public transport.
Many also wanted to see the court move out of Inverness Castle, as well as the redevelopment of the eyesore office blocks at Upper Bridge Street.
Mr Black said: “Having been brought up in Inverness and worked on its development for approaching two decades, I am relishing this opportunity. There’s lots to be proud of about our city. With this renewed focus on regeneration, there are significant grounds for optimism about the future of Inverness.”