It signalled a record year since the pandemic for visitors to the venue which was brought under new ownership in August 2025.
The venue saw an increase in enquiries for its conference and exhibition space of six per cent, which includes recently launched ‘The Curve’, despite a challenging economic environment for the events sector.
This led to the venue hosting 547 exhibitions, conferences, meetings, annual awards and dinners, and live events over the year.
Coventry Building Society Arena has also attracted major national brands to host private events for staff and suppliers, contributing to the £2.8 million of new business brought into the venue by its conference and exhibitions business.
Conferences, exhibitions and meetings remain the foundations of the Arena’s success, reflected in improved utilisation across its main halls and convention centre, with utilisation rising to an average of 61 per cent across both spaces.
This has been supported with a move by event organisers toward longer, multi-day events, with exhibitions utilising more space across the venue and extending their tenancies and, as a result, attracting additional visitors.
Live performances in the Indoor Arena from artists including Ed Sheeran, Bob Dylan and Tom Grennan welcomed more than 38,000 visitors to the venue.
That number is set to grow again in 2026 when the stadium bowl welcomes Take That for three nights and as the venue continues to build the profile of its live events brand, CBS Live.
The on-site Grosvenor Casino also recorded a strong year, welcoming around 200,000 visitors, supported by the continued success of flagship events including Goliath, the UK’s largest live poker tournament.
The Arena’s on-site Doubletree by Hilton Hotel saw occupancy rates, average room rates and revenue per available room remain stable. This was against the backdrop of a major refurbishment project, which saw all 121 bedrooms completed last year and is now focused on public areas in its final phase.
The venue has also committed to continue to support the local supply chain and community through a series of partnerships sealed over the last year, including the launch of its work with two charity partners Coventry Foodbank and Coventry & Warwickshire Children’s Charity.
Partners and events hosted at the venue have been able to benefit from the growing digital marketing footprint of the venue too, with social media impressions up by 236 per cent and website visitors growing by more than 500,000.
Paul Michael, Managing Director at Coventry Building Society Arena, said: “It was another huge year for the venue, headlined by our 20th anniversary celebrations, new ownership and continued investment.
“We are operating in a challenging economic environment, but our performance shows the confidence that organisers, partners and audiences have in the venue.
“This has been reflected by more enquiries, events staying with us for longer, improved utilisation across our event spaces and more visitors coming through the doors.
“The growth comes at a key point with the transition to Coventry City ownership and the introduction of a refreshed commercial strategy, which will provide long-term stability and a clear vision for future growth.
“It is an exciting time for the Arena and we are confident about the role we can continue to play in bringing new business, visitors and investment into the wider region, as Coventry’s visitor economy continues to break records year-on-year.”
