The first conferences and exhibitions have been held in the newly transformed lower halls at Coventry Building Society Arena.
Work is set to begin at street level on the construction of the new south pavilion entrance but the lower halls of the Commonwealth Convention Centre are now open for business.
The 1,750 square metres has undergone an aesthetic overhaul and also seen the installation of a state-of-the-art digital and audio-visual technology system.
It is a flexible space with the potential to host a range of different events from small to medium sized exhibitions, to evening dinners and arts performances in the theatre.
The project will connect the lower halls with the rest of the venue and gives access for event organisers to an area of up to 7,750 square metres.
Two major B2B events have already taken place, with a major national retailer hosting an event and an industry conference also held in the lower halls.
The refurbishment work is part of the creation of the Commonwealth Convention Centre at the Arena, which has already seen the refurbishment of the Indoor Arena - Coventry and the creation of a sports bar, The Anecdote.
While the lower halls are now open for event organisers, the convention centre as a whole will open its doors in early 2022.
The project has been funded through the £3.8 million granted to the venue by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), via the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) as part of the Government’s Getting Building Fund.
An additional £1.4 million has also been made available to the Coventry Building Society Arena via CWLEP from the Local Growth Fund and Growing Places Fund.
Paul Michael, Commercial Director at Coventry Building Society Arena, said: “The completion of this work means that the lower halls are now seamlessly connected to the rest of the venue and it vastly increases the amount of space we can offer to event organisers.
“It ensures we maintain our position as a modern, market-leading facility – and the flexibility of the venue will help us to cater for the increased demand for our conference and exhibition facilities over the coming years.
“We have received great feedback from the organisers who have already used the new space and we are confident that the refurbishment will attract more business regionally, nationally and internationally.”
Sarah Windrum, Chair of CWLEP, added: “It is fantastic to see the work progressing at a fast pace and, once this latest the addition to Coventry Building Society Arena is complete, it will help to further cement Coventry and Warwickshire’s position as a leading destination for conferences and exhibitions.
“CWLEP’s Strategic Reset Taskforce is focused on driving forward innovation and infrastructure to boost the local economy and the opening of the lower halls of the Commonwealth Convention Centre is helping us achieve that by attracting high-profile companies and events.”