Multimillion-pound plan for Ricoh Arena revamp

A new pavilion and convention centre could be open early next year

Coventry's Ricoh Arena could be getting a multimillion-pound revamp ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

The stadium is home to Wasps rugby team and will see football team Coventry City return next season.

The indoor arena will undergo cosmetic improvements ahead of hosting judo and wrestling for the Commonwealth Games.

Wasps Group has applied to the city council to develop a new pavilion entrance on the south side and a new Commonwealth Convention Centre.

Stephen Vaughan, Wasps Group chief executive, said: "The eyes of the world will be on us next summer - both from international visitors and those watching on TV - and we are looking forward to showing them why Ricoh Arena is one of the leading multipurpose venues in the UK."

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The new 1,847 sq m (19880 sq ft) Commonwealth Convention Centre would be built in the venue's lower halls with the area undergoing a major transformation which would also see the opening of an art and gallery space for the community to showcase local projects.

The new pavilion will allow "seamless" access between the convention centre and the rest of the venue, CWLEP said

Additional food and drinks sites will also be built in the atrium.

Wasps Group has secured £3.8m for the plan via the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), and an additional £1.4m from the government's Local Growth Fund and Growing Places Fund.

Mr Vaughan said the Ricoh Arena had "forged an enviable reputation as a leading international venue" over the past 15 years and attracted more than 1.5m visitors a year on average.

If the plans are approved, it is hoped that the pavilion and convention centre will open early next year.