Coventry’s football team the Sky Blues might have relocated from the city’s Ricoh Arena but the casino based there has confirmed it is staying for the next ten years.
Rank Group, which owns Grosvenor Casinos, has signed a new ten-year lease to remain at the Ricoh Arena, which is the home of Wasps Rugby Football Club.
Grosvenor Casinos, which operates 52 casinos in the UK, has been based at the arena since 2009 when it took over the casino site and invested £1.6 million in the venue.
The casino is the biggest in Coventry and features a full range of table and electronic gaming - including blackjack, roulette and poker - as well as a food and drink offering.
The venue hosts a number of national events, the main one being Goliath - the world’s biggest annual live poker tournament - which runs for ten days at the end of July each year.
The casino had 250,000 visitors last year, many coming from different parts of the country to attend specific events, as well as customers on-site for other Ricoh activities.
As well as hosting Gallagher Premiership rugby fixtures, the Ricoh Arena is also a busy venue for concerts and conferences.
Musical big names who have staged concerts there include Bon Jovi, the Spice Girls, the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen.
Until this season Coventry City FC also played their home fixtures there but for the 2019/20 League One season the club has moved to St Andrew’s in Birmingham.
Paul Davies, general manager of Grosvenor Casino Coventry, said: “We are delighted to have signed a new ten-year lease with Ricoh Arena, we think this venue is the ideal home for our brand.
“Grosvenor Casino Coventry is a unique venue right in the heart of the country offering gaming, sports, live events and an excellent food and drink experience – we have an open door policy so anyone over the age of 18 can come along for a drink, a meal, to watch the match or try their hand at one of the many games we have on offer.”
Stuart Cain, chief executive (venue) of Wasps Group, said: “This is very good news. It shows just how well the casino continues to trade and is a major vote of confidence in the future strategy of Ricoh Arena and the way that we’re conducting our business.
“The casino gives our venue real diversity in terms of entertainment as well as additional bars and restaurants. "
Mr Cain added: “Whilst it attracts a loyal audience due to the strength of the Grosvenor name, it also allows us to offer something different to people attending sports fixtures, concert-goers and conference and exhibition delegates.
“We are one of the largest multi-purpose venues in the UK and we view the Grosvenor Casino as a key component of that mix.
“We are looking forward to working with the management team at the site to keep driving our businesses forward.”
