NEWPORT Gwent Dragons fans will be delighted with the news multi-millionaire businessman Tony Brown has made a significant investment in the region with a six-figure sponsorship deal.

And the new stand under construction at Rodney Parade, part of an exciting £4m ground redevelopment, will be named the Bisley Stand after Brown’s company, Bisley Office Furniture.

The well-liked entrepreneur is part-funding the stand, formerly the Argus Terrace, on top of the six figure sponsorship.

This new investment by Brown, who re-joined the region’s board of directors earlier this year after giving up ownership of the Dragons in 2005, is a huge boost for the region who have big ambitions to raise their profile.

When Brown came back to the Dragons in January, the region also announced that Celtic Manor chief Dylan Matthews, son of billionaire Welsh businessman Sir Terry, had joined them as a consultant.

The amount of the new deal is undisclosed but Bisley will be the region’s ‘headline’ sponsor, meaning they will be the main name advertised on the Dragons’ jerseys.

The hugely successful company has bases in both Newport and Bisley, Surrey, employing nearly 1,000 people.

Richard Blackwell, the company’s UK sales & group marketing director, said he was delighted with this new deal, a continuation of their long partnership with rugby in the region.

“We see this sponsorship of the Newport Gwent Dragons as continued support of our brand awareness.

“Bisley has had a major presence in the City of Newport since 1989 and currently employs over 400 local people. Bisley supplies the UK and the rest of the world with steel office storage, of which nearly 70% is manufactured at the Newport plant.”

Dragons chief executive Mike Jenkins was confident that there were bright days ahead for the region.

“This is a very exciting time for the Dragons and we are delighted that Bisley will be a key part of this next stage in the region’s development.”

He added: “Tony Brown has been instrumental in enabling the new stand to be built and it is fitting that the title sponsorship of the new stand reflects the strength and importance of the relationship between Bisley, Rodney Parade and the teams who play here.”

The Bisley Stand will be all-seater, with bars on the ground and first floors, with the redevelopment also including 13 hospitality boxes.

The work is on schedule to be completed by the start of the new season.