Ricoh Rocks With GBP10 Million Sponsorship Deal

Ricoh Rocks With GBP10 Million Sponsorship Deal

COVENTRY, England, April 26/PRNewswire/ --

- Ricoh Arena: Entertaining The Nation

- With Picture

ATTN: News, Sports and Business Desks

Ricoh, the IT giant, today signed a GBP10 million sponsorship
deal with the new Arena Coventry securing the international naming rights.

The Ricoh Arena, as it will now be known, will be a venue for
some of the UK's most high profile sports and entertainment events attracting
big names of the calibre of Kylie Minogue, U2 and David Bowie.

The GBP113 million multi-purpose development expands over 72
acres and is less than two hours' drive time for 75% of the mainland UK
population.

The 32,000-seat Arena will become home for Coventry City
Football Club when it opens in August and will feature a 6,000sq metre
exhibition and events hall capable of holding 8,000 people and a 1,000-seater
banqueting suite, as well as 65 hotel rooms and a health and fitness suite.

Isle of Capri will open a major casino on site next year and
has plans to develop the UK's largest resort casino. The Tesco superstore
opened in December and is one of the largest in Europe.

For Ricoh, this venue will provide a headquarters from which
several new strategic services will be directed, allowing the company to
achieve 30 per cent growth over the next three years. Ricoh is already the
8th largest IT company in the world offering a broad range of digital,
networked products, including copiers, printers and scanners. Ricoh holds the
number one market share in Europe in its chosen market place and has existing
experience in sponsoring stadiums such as the hugely successful 'Ricoh
Coliseum' in Toronto, Canada.

Takahisa Yokoo, MD of Ricoh UK said: "We are extremely pleased
to be involved with such a high profile and exciting development. The Ricoh
Arena will act as a real launch pad for our major UK expansion initiative."

The Ricoh Arena will be highly visible - passed by 52 million
vehicles a year, on the flight path for two international airports, have 2.5
million visitors each year and rooftop signage purported to be visible from
the moon!

Paul Fletcher, Chief Executive of Arena Coventry Ltd, which
will manage the new development, is delighted with the deal.

He said: "Ricoh is a market leader in its field and a truly
international company with multi-million pound businesses across the globe.
It means it is the ideal partner for the Arena, which is one of the most
prestigious arenas, conference and exhibition centres in the country.

"The Ricoh Arena will be a landmark building that will create
a new gateway into the city and provide one of the most unique facilities in
the country."

Notes to Editors

- The name Ricoh ('Ree - ko') emanates from its original
technology and optical business in Japan.

- The contract was officially signed by Takahisa Yokoo,
Managing Director of Ricoh UK and Andrew Young, Chairman of Arena Coventry.

- 'Ricoh Arena - Entertaining The Nation' is the official
strapline for the new Arena.

A high resolution photograph of Takahisa Yokoo, MD of Ricoh UK
and Paul Fletcher, Chief Executive of Arena Coventry Ltd is available to the
media free of charge via the PA Photowire or please visit
www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk

Source: Ricoh

For further information: Advent Communications: Adam Dent, adent@advent-communications.co.uk, +44-(0)24-7663-3636 or +44-(0)7785-594-415. The Communication Group: Sally Hawkins, shawkins@thecommunicationgroup.co.uk; Caroline Parrish, cparrish@thecommunicationgroup.co.uk; Natasha Behrouz, nbehrouz@thecommunicationgroup.co.uk or Tel: +44-(0)20-7630-1411; +44-(0)7932-754-434

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