Genting UK to become NEC Group's new partner for LG Arena

The NEC Group has announced that Genting UK will become the new title sponsor for the LG Arena, Birmingham.

From January 2015, the successful and well established entertainment venue will be rebranded the Genting Arena for the next ten years.

The announcement further enhances the successful partnership between the two companies and is seen as demonstrating Genting UK's commitment to not only the NEC campus but to the wider region.

For Genting UK, sponsorship of the Arena will provide an opportunity to build awareness of the Genting brand across the UK to support its strategy to position the Genting name beyond that of a purely gaming focussed business to a major provider of entertainment and lifestyle experiences.

The Arena, first opened in 1980 as the NEC Arena and later transformed to the LG Arena with a £29 million refurbishment in 2009, has become one of the world's top entertainment arenas hosting over 100 shows per year and attracting nearly one million visitors a year. LG Technology's current title sponsorship deal will finish at the end of 2014.

Genting UK is currently constructing the country's first fully integrated destination leisure and entertainment complex, Resorts World Birmingham, which is adjacent to the Genting Arena.

Paul Thandi, CEO of the NEC Group, said: "This is a genuinely exciting development in the relationship between the NEC Group and Genting UK. We see the Genting UK partnership as a natural fit for the NEC Group, not only because of the link with Resorts World Birmingham, but because we both put the customer experience at the heart of what we do.

"The powerful combination of our knowledge and experience in the arena business with Genting's proven expertise in the global leisure market will strengthen the offering of the Arena to both promoters and customers and importantly continue to build its reputation as one of the world's top entertainment venues.

"The sponsorship will provide clear opportunities for the Arena and Resorts World Birmingham to provide content, experience, retail and leisure possibilities for both sets of customers and of course those customers using both experiences. In doing so we hope to begin delivering an impressive twenty four seven leisure and entertainment destination for all future customers".

Peter Brooks, Genting UK President and Chief Operating Officer, commented: "We are delighted that from January 2015 this superb venue will be known as the Genting Arena. Over several years, in parallel with developing Resorts World Birmingham, we have been working closely with the NEC Group and enjoyed a very productive partnership. The sponsorship of the Arena is a very strong symbol of that working relationship and of the exciting opportunities that lie before us to further enhance and develop the experiences of visitors to the NEC.

"Sponsorship of the Arena is a significant development for the Genting business in the UK. As our offer develops further it is important that we continue to strengthen awareness for the Genting brand and this is a significant part of that strategy. Our parent the Genting Group based in Malaysia is well known and respected across Asia and the USA as a leisure and entertainment brand and this is a further step in helping us to do the same here in the UK".