DUNDEE is looking for millions of pounds of private sector funds to help build a new conference centre near to the new V&A Dundee.

The city's council wants to build the facility with the significant aid of business support as part of the £1bn regeneration of its water front.

Mike Galloway, the executive director of city development at Dundee City Council has said the city wanted to maintain a momentum of development in the city after the opening, this weekend, of the £80m museum.

A spokesperson for Dundee City Council said: "Conference and events tourism is already an important contributor to our local economy, and presents an opportunity for further growth.

"We are speaking to a number of private sector parties about how this could be taken forward."

READ MORE: Will the V&A Dundee be a success?

The council is hoping to build on what it hopes will be an influx of visitors to the city due to the opening of the museum.

The city has seen overnight stays in hotels rise by more than 9.8% in the year up to April.

However, public money will not be the major finance for the centre: the council is already invested in the V&A.

The leader of Dundee's City Council, John Alexander, said he expected the V&A to have a huge effect on the city.

He said: "When you consider the journey the city has been on for a number of years, and the success that we have gathered and brought to Dundee - all of that is bringing real tangible benefits, even in visitor numbers before the new institution is opened.

"I think our hopes for the museum's [visitor figures] are realistic."

READ MORE: The V&A Dundee and hopes to draw 500,000 visitors

Speaking at the new museum, he added: "There is a renewed confidence, a renewed pride, there is a fire in the belly of ordinary Dundonians that wasn't there ten years ago.

"For too long the city was seen as a poor relation to our larger neighbouring cities, but that is no longer the case.

"Dundee is leading the charge for a culture-led regeneration."

Reports suggest the city is looking at the concept of an indoor complex close to the city centre to host concerts and conferences for up to 6,000 people.

Dundee's biggest venue is currently Caird Hall with a capacity of 2,300.

Mr Galloway said: "There is definitely a gap in the market in Dundee for an indoor events arena that could double up as a conference and convention facility as well.

"We're not looking at anything huge which would directly compete with existing arenas in Aberdeen and Glasgow - it has to be the right facility that fits into our market and I'd really want it to be close to the city centre."

READ MORE: Inside the V&A Dundee

City council leader John Alexander said plans were under way for Dundee to host a major arts festival in four years' time.

Dundee lost out on UK City of Culture 2017 to Hull and the vote to leave the EU scuppered its bid to become European Capital of Culture 2023.

The festival would last six to eight days and take place in 2022.

Mr Alexander said: "We have been working on proposals and I personally attended the Unesco Creative Cities conference in Poland in June and represented and promoted our ambition.

"It will provide a shopfront, a showcase of culture across every Unesco network. It will encompass literature, music, gastronomy and all of the other designations.

"We have made that offer to Unesco, we have the backing of the Scottish Government and the UK ambassador to Unesco and I have also met with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

"We are now actively working on these proposals and are working to deliver them in 2022."