Wasps have thrown their support behind Coventry and Warwickshire’s presence at a major international showcase – and are sending along two stars to help promote the area.
England international Joe Launchbury and centre Chris Bell will help draw in prospective investors and developers at the MIPIM property show in France next month.
Wasps have signed up as members of the Coventry and Warwickshire MIPIM 2015 Partnership which helps promote the city and county at the world’s largest commercial property development and investment show.
They will join more than 10 other companies and organisations which fund the presence at the four-day event which attracts around 25,000 delegates.
The duo, who are currently out of action through injury, will be on the stand at a networking event and will then take part in a Question of Sport session with figures from the property industry.
Les Ratcliffe, of Head of Community Relations Jaguar Land Rover – who sponsor Wasps – and chair of the Place Board which helps promote the area, said the presence of the players and the support of Wasps was a significant boost for the MIPIM Partnership.
He said: “Rugby is massively popular among the property industry and in what is a very competitive arena, to have Joe and Chris out supporting us will be a great help. I am sure they will be a massive draw and help us spread the very positive message about Coventry and Warwickshire.
“Wasps chose to invest in the area because they saw the potential for their business and felt the assets which exist in Coventry and Warwickshire could help them thrive. That is the message we want to put out to the whole industry.
“While MIPIM is a commercial property show, it is also about promoting locations to the industry. The partnership approach has allowed us – at no cost to ratepayers – to really punch above our weight.
“Wasps coming on board will only help strengthen that very positive message.”
Nick Eastwood, CEO of Wasps, said the club’s presence at MIPIM underlined how well its move to the area had gone.
“We have had unbelievable support in all aspects from the moment we announced we would be moving to the Ricoh Arena,” he said.
“That welcome is a powerful message for those looking to invest in Coventry and Warwickshire. I cannot think of anything more the area could have done to make our move any easier, and we are only too happy to relay that message to help attract more investment.
“Joe and Chris are first-class ambassadors for the club and they will be the same for Coventry and Warwickshire.”
Caption (from left): Chris Bell, Les Ratcliffe, Joe Launchbury