Ricoh Rocks With GBP10 Million Sponsorship Deal

Ricoh Rocks With GBP10 Million Sponsorship Deal

COVENTRY, England, April 26/PRNewswire/ --

- Ricoh Arena: Entertaining The Nation

- With Picture

ATTN: News, Sports and Business Desks

Ricoh, the IT giant, today signed a GBP10 million sponsorship deal with the new Arena Coventry securing the international naming rights.

The Ricoh Arena, as it will now be known, will be a venue for some of the UK's most high profile sports and entertainment events attracting big names of the calibre of Kylie Minogue, U2 and David Bowie.

The GBP113 million multi-purpose development expands over 72 acres and is less than two hours' drive time for 75% of the mainland UK population.

The 32,000-seat Arena will become home for Coventry City Football Club when it opens in August and will feature a 6,000sq metre exhibition and events hall capable of holding 8,000 people and a 1,000-seater banqueting suite, as well as 65 hotel rooms and a health and fitness suite.

Isle of Capri will open a major casino on site next year and has plans to develop the UK's largest resort casino. The Tesco superstore opened in December and is one of the largest in Europe.

For Ricoh, this venue will provide a headquarters from which several new strategic services will be directed, allowing the company to achieve 30 per cent growth over the next three years. Ricoh is already the 8th largest IT company in the world offering a broad range of digital, networked products, including copiers, printers and scanners. Ricoh holds the number one market share in Europe in its chosen market place and has existing experience in sponsoring stadiums such as the hugely successful 'Ricoh Coliseum' in Toronto, Canada.

Takahisa Yokoo, MD of Ricoh UK said: "We are extremely pleased to be involved with such a high profile and exciting development. The Ricoh Arena will act as a real launch pad for our major UK expansion initiative."

The Ricoh Arena will be highly visible - passed by 52 million vehicles a year, on the flight path for two international airports, have 2.5 million visitors each year and rooftop signage purported to be visible from the moon!

Paul Fletcher, Chief Executive of Arena Coventry Ltd, which will manage the new development, is delighted with the deal.

He said: "Ricoh is a market leader in its field and a truly international company with multi-million pound businesses across the globe. It means it is the ideal partner for the Arena, which is one of the most prestigious arenas, conference and exhibition centres in the country.

"The Ricoh Arena will be a landmark building that will create a new gateway into the city and provide one of the most unique facilities in the country."

Notes to Editors

- The name Ricoh ('Ree - ko') emanates from its original technology and optical business in Japan.

- The contract was officially signed by Takahisa Yokoo, Managing Director of Ricoh UK and Andrew Young, Chairman of Arena Coventry.

- 'Ricoh Arena - Entertaining The Nation' is the official strapline for the new Arena.

A high resolution photograph of Takahisa Yokoo, MD of Ricoh UK and Paul Fletcher, Chief Executive of Arena Coventry Ltd is available to the media free of charge via the PA Photowire or please visit www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk

Source: Ricoh

For further information: Advent Communications: Adam Dent, adent@advent-communications.co.uk, +44-(0)24-7663-3636 or +44-(0)7785-594-415. The Communication Group: Sally Hawkins, shawkins@thecommunicationgroup.co.uk; Caroline Parrish, cparrish@thecommunicationgroup.co.uk; Natasha Behrouz, nbehrouz@thecommunicationgroup.co.uk or Tel: +44-(0)20-7630-1411; +44-(0)7932-754-434

------- Profile: Ent