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investment in digital wayfinding and signage and the opening of a 300-capacity Dhillon ’ s Lounge , which will be used for concerts and matchdays , and is bookable for other events throughout the year . “ We have been working with Dhillon ’ s Brewery over the last year and it ’ s another partnership with a local business that continues to flourish ,” Michael says . “ The Dhillon ’ s Lounge looks fantastic and will be a real asset to the venue , be that on matchdays for hundreds of fans , or for conference and exhibition organisers looking for a versatile space to host events .”
Additionally , CBS Arena has brought its catering arm in-house to provide more control over sustainability factors such as sourcing and menu design . It has also rebranded 28 retail kiosks throughout the stadium concourse and signed a new partnership with Budweiser Brewing Group .
A new ANPR car park system has also been introduced , upgrading the 2,200 onsite car park spaces to make parking at the Arena a seamless experience .
“ We have further introduced new CCTV and signage to make our
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Coventry Building Society Arena |
Central location with 2,200 onsite parking spaces
Easy access via rail
Highly experienced events team
20,000 sqm of flexible event space
Onsite hotel with 121 rooms
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visitors feel safer ,” Michael continues . “ Plus , we ’ ve modernised our 24-hour security control and matchday operations control room , with this focus on safety and security readying the venue for the introduction of Martyn ’ s Law .
“ There are changes that people might not see too , particularly with our infrastructure , with upgrades to our fibre broadband , which will benefit our conference and exhibition organisers , and upgraded IT security systems .”
The positive impact from 12 months of hard work has seen Michael and his team receive over £ 1m in new business enquiries ( up 5 % on last year ).
CBS Arena hosted 592 conferences , exhibitions , meetings , dinners and award events in 2023 , which included more than 110 exhibitions and large conferences . Over 20,000 more delegates attended conferences and events staged at the Arena , while the number of award ceremonies and dinners grew by 34 %.
CBS Arena is at the heart of the community and tourism sector in Coventry and has benefited significantly from the enhanced profile brought by being the UK City
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of Culture 2021 and hosting events of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games .
Coventry ’ s reputation as a destination for conferences and business events has grown significantly in recent years , aided by being a leading player in key industries such as automotive , green technology , advanced engineering and video games .
This has seen the arena itself host key national conferences in these sectors , particularly in engineering and green innovation .
When asked what else the future holds for CBS Arena , Michael smiles as he reveals the brand refresh , which will officially launch at this month ’ s International Confex and the PA Show in London .
“ Our new slogan is ‘ The best times are here ’ which connects everything beautifully together ,” he concludes with pride . “ Whether you ’ re attending the best meetings , exhibitions or conferences , football , music or live performances , you ’ ll be guaranteed the best time and experience the best service . It has been a fantastic 12 months . Now it ’ s about how we build on that and ensure the long-term success of Coventry Building Society Arena .” CN
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