Top pop acts such as Robbie Williams and Blur could be playing in Coventry when the Sky Blues’ new Arena 2000 opens its doors.

The 45,000-seater venue will be able to host indoor gigs as the roof can cover the new stadium and the pitch will slide out of the way.

Work on building the new stadium on the site of the former Foleshill gasworks is well under way, and project organisers say they are attracting a lot of interest in the development.

Architects designing the stadium have kept in touch with leading figures in the music industry to make sure that the building matches their requirements.

As well as hosting top Premiership football matches, the arena is expected to be in use nearly every day of the week.

Major tour operators have shown an interest in using the stadium for concerts, which means that the design has to be able to cope with the logistics of a major pop tour.

Groups like the Rolling Stones and the Spice Girls can have an entourage of up to 25 huge lorries with equipment for the performance, and the roof needs to be designed to cope with a huge amount of technical infrastructure and still provide good acoustics for singers.

Simon Dunstan of architects RHWL said it was vital to give the arena the best reputation from the outset.

He said:

“It’s no good just to be a great football venue. We have to be great for all events. Perfection is not an option – if it’s no good, no-one will come.”

And Ian Huffam, of artist’s agency Helter Skelter, which represents more 200 artistes including Robbie Williams, Blur and Moby said there is a shortage of good, enclosed facilities for big concerts.

He said:

“The 90s have definitely seen more contemporary groups look at stadia as a viable proposition.”

He added that the Arena 2000 would be a welcome addition to the venues available in the United Kingdom:

“Anything of that capacity which offers modern facilities has to be good.”