12 things you didn't know about the City of Coventry Stadium

12 things you didn't know about the City of Coventry Stadium, which is hosting Olympic football events Credit: ITV Central

  • The Arena will be known as the City of Coventry Stadium for the duration of the games.

  • It will host 12 football matches over 8 days, the first two of which will be played at the Stadium later on today (25 July).

  • The Chief Executive of the Stadium, Daniel Gidney, says the Games are expected to bring between 50 to 60 million pounds to the local economy.

  • In 2003, Laing O'Rourke, the company which built the Millenium Stadium and the City of Manchester Stadium, was appointed the preferred contractor to build the development.

  • The Stadium has been the home of Coventry City Football Club since 2005.

  • It was officially opened by Britain's Olympic gold winner Dame Kelly Holmes and Sports Minister Richard Caborn officially opened the venue on 24 February 2007.

  • In 2009, the Stadium won the bid to be the only Midlands venue to host the London 2012 Olympic Football Tournament.

  • The Stadium was officially handed over to LOCOG on June 21st 2012.

  • Coventry City's first home match of the 2012-13 season will kick off on Tuesday 21st August 2012 against Sheffield United.

Coventry looks ahead to tonight's football matches at the Stadium Credit: ITV Central

  • The Stadium holds 32,609 people.

  • Oasis, Bon Jovi, Take That and Pink have all performed there.

  • The location of the Stadium, on the outskirts of Coventry, is within a two-hour drive of 75% of the country.