Surely a community project like this is partly self funding. There is a dividend from keeping people active and healthy. Sport England have changed tack and have less emphasis on elite sport and more on getting people more active. Surely that could happen at Melwood. You could have a major sport being based here and have the facilities open to the general public as well. Other cities manage to do it.
In an ideal world yes. But does the local community have the spare cash to pay fees to access and maintain? If not, it would have needed government subsidies. Does the council have enough money to buy a luxury gym? Is it spending enough on policing, health services, social care, bin collection, education etc?
Did sport England put a bid in for Melwood? Did the council?