Construction work is set to get underway on a major £3m expansion of the conference and exhibition facilities at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.

Three new halls will be created as part of the scheme, which will result in an additional 2,500sq m (26,910sq ft) of exhibition space and a 650-seat auditorium to complement the existing 6,000sq m (64,583sq ft) Jaguar Exhibition Hall. A new entrance stairway will also be built on the side of the Ricoh Arena to allow the Jaguar Exhibition Hall to accommodate 10,000 delegates, which will increase existing capacity by 2,000.

Ricoh Arena chief executive Daniel Gidney said: "The extension programme emphasises our aim to further cement our position as a top quality conference and exhibition centre. "The extension to the centre, along with the new auditorium and entrance on the southern side of the venue means that each event will be self-contained. The walls of the new halls three, four and five will be retractable to give organisers greater flexibility."

Work is scheduled for completion by June and is being carried out by Birmingham-based contractor, Ibex Interiors.