The mystery bidders who hold the fate of Perth City Hall in their hands will become known this week but only to a select few.
The deadline for alternatives to the controversial demolition that was previously agreed by councillors passes on Thursday.
And The Courier has learned that there are already a number of parties who have lodged detailed submissions outlining their visions for saving the Edwardian B-listed building.
From their number, some may be plucked to be given the chance to breathe new life into the former civic centrepiece, which has been closed since 2005.
The public, councillors and even senior council officials will however remain in the dark about their identity until later this year, as high-level, behind-closed-doors talks take place to weigh the merits of each scheme.
There could yet be last-minute submissions before the deadline for remarketing the hall, but property firm Jones Lang LaSalle has confirmed the proposition has already created considerable interest.
“We have a number of parties who expressed initial interest and have now made more detailed submissions,” said Nina Stobie, associate director with Jones Lang LaSalle in Glasgow.
“Historic Scotland has been very active within the process, liaising with the interested parties and they will be involved in looking at the criteria.
“We will be undertaking an assessment of the submissions received to provide to the council.”
Ms Stobie refused to be drawn on the exact number or nature of plans put to them.
Only the proposal by the Perth City Market Trust is already in the public domain as they chose to reveal their plans for a food market hall at an early stage.
The remarketing of the city hall came about after it was judged by Historic Scotland that Perth and Kinross Council was too premature in its decision to demolish the hall without further efforts to find an alternative use and permission to knock it down was denied.
Councillors had unanimously agreed to knock the building down, at a cost of more than £4 million, to make way for a civic square, creating a storm of protest.
That prospect may yet become a reality if none of the plans lodged is judged to be economically viable.