SportPark is the home of the national governing bodies of swimming, volleyball and wheelchair basketball, as well as Sport England's Shared Service Centre.

The building cost £15 million ($24 million) and was funded by the University with help from Sport England, Leicestershire County Council and Chamwood Borough Council.

Lewis said: "SportPark provides the perfect environment for national governing bodies and other sports deliverers to work alongside one another to get more people playing sport.

"As both a funding partner and resident, Sport England is pleased to be part of a sporting hub that is providing state-of-the-art sport facilities to the Midlands."

Tim Garfield, deputy director for Sport at Loughborough University added: "SportPark resident bodies employ over 1,000 people nationwide and there are nearly 400 jobs based here at SportPark.

"In and around Loughborough there are over 700 jobs with nationally significant roles in sport.

"Loughborough is a thriving and growing knowledge economy for sport.

"We have national performance centres based here in a range of sports including cricket, athletics and swimming and they are are all now pushing the boundaries in the use of science and technology in the quest for ultimate performance.

"Loughborough is at the heart of sport in this country and SportPark is building on this.

"Increasingly we are demonstrating by our actions that putting heads and hearts together is a powerful force for innovation and change. SportPark is at the very epicentre of that strategy"

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