In 2007 the complex was renamed in honour of John Charles (1931–2004), the former Leeds United, Juventus and Wales footballer.

The complex is located to the south of Leeds city centre roughly on the border of Beeston, Belle Isle and Hunslet.

The stadium has been used by Leeds United for reserve matches, and since November 1995 by rugby league club Hunslet.

(formerly Middleton FC) have used the stadium since 2024 enabling the club to be promoted to the Northern Counties East League.

The movement of the city's main public swimming facilities to South Leeds attracted criticism.

Since April 2008, the City of Leeds Synchronised Swimming Club adopted the facilities as their main centre for training and administration.

The centre is the primary training facility for the City of Leeds Diving Club and is responsible for producing some of the best divers in the country who have been chosen to compete at an international and Olympic level.

The club has trained a number of athletes, including Rebecca Gallantree, Dan Goodfellow and Matty Lee as well as Great Britain's first ever diving gold medallists Jack Laugher and Chris Mears.

[citation needed] The Aquatics Centre is used to host national underwater hockey competitions ran by the British Octopush Association.