Ricoh Arena (commonly known as The Ricoh) is a stadium complex, situated in the Rowleys Green district of the city of Coventry, England, containing a 32,609 seater football stadium, a 6,000 square-metre exhibition hall, a hotel, a leisure club and a casino. The site is also home to Arena Park Shopping Centre, containing one of the largest Tesco Extra hypermarkets. The site was previously home to the Foleshill gasworks. It is named after its sponsor, Japanese company Ricoh, who paid £10 million for the naming rights over 10 years. For the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, where stadium naming sponsorship was forbidden, the stadium was known as the City of Coventry Stadium.
The arena was opened officially by Dame Kelly Holmes and Sports Minister Richard Caborn on 24 February 2007. This was after the arena had been open for a year which included hosting a sell out England U21 football match against Germany and a full season of Coventry City football matches.
Read more about Ricoh Arena: History and Background, Location, Inaugural Events, Further Events, 2012 Olympics, 2013 Davis Cup, Rent Dispute, Highest Attendances
Famous quotes containing the word arena:
“This is a Senate of equals, of men of individual honor and personal character, and of absolute independence. We know no masters, we acknowledge no dictators. This is a hall for mutual consultation and discussion; not an arena for the exhibition of champions.”
—Daniel Webster (1782–1852)