About the Project
Rosen Aquatic Center Upgrades to Crystal-Clear Sound with Bose Professional
How a custom-designed sound system transformed communication, safety, and energy at a world-class aquatic venue.
For years, the Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center in Orlando, Florida, served as a premier destination for swimming, diving, and water polo events. But the aging sound system meant athletes and spectators alike struggled to hear race announcements, event commentary, and even important safety messages. With multiple events taking place nearly every weekend and thousands of attendees packing the stands, poor audio clarity was a daily frustration.
When the nonprofit center decided to invest in a permanent solution, they turned to AV partner eXtream Solutions and Bose Professional to design and deliver a high-performance audio system that would finally rise to the level of the events it hosted.
An Olympic-Caliber Facility with a Purpose-Driven Mission
Originally opened in 1983 as the Justus Aquatic Center, the facility was saved from closure in the early 1990s by Orlando hotelier and philanthropist Harris Rosen, who stepped in to preserve it as a vital resource for Special Olympics athletes and the broader community. After decades of ownership changes, Rosen officially took over the center in 2020, transforming it into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and restoring its mission to serve the public through inclusive wellness programs, swim instruction, and high-level competition.
Today, the facility is a top-tier aquatic venue that regularly hosts national and international events — from water polo tournaments and synchronized swimming competitions to world-class diving and elite swim meets. It’s also a hub for the local community, offering memberships, swim lessons, and fitness amenities, including programs for children with autism and individuals with disabilities.
From Patchwork Audio to Precision Coverage
Prior to the upgrade, the center relied on temporary PA systems for each event — often rented from DJs or announcers, with speakers placed wherever cables could reach. Each weekend ushered in different setup, leading to inconsistent coverage and frequent safety concerns from cables laid across the pool deck.
According to Executive Director Mike Miller, “Aquatic centers are notorious for terrible acoustics — everything echoes, the surfaces are all reflective, and the humidity is brutal on gear. So, when you’re trying to run high-profile events in that kind of environment, sound becomes a real challenge.”
Chief Engineer Curt Taylor added, “I’ve worked in facilities with high-end audio systems, and I knew the center needed more than a band-aid. When we started talking about upgrades, I called the guy I trusted most — Greg Gates at eXtream Solutions.”
Bringing in the Experts
Gates brought Bose Professional into the conversation, collaborating with regional sales engineer Jon Schmidt. Because the building had changed hands many times and lacked accurate architectural drawings, the Bose Professional team took on-site measurements and created a full acoustic model using Modeler software. “They modeled everything, the bleachers, scoreboard, even the dive tower,” said Miller. “Then they placed the speakers and ran heatmaps showing the exact coverage pattern of the system. That was eye-opening.”
“The Bose Professional team even came out during an actual event to see how many people were in the facility, how it flowed, the event layout — I’ve never had a vendor do that,” he added.
“They put together a really well-thought-out proposal and walked us through everything — from intelligibility to placement to system goals,” said Greg Gates of eXtream Solutions. “As a small company, I appreciated that extra support. With other vendors, just getting someone to show up was like pulling teeth.”
A Team That Listened and Delivered
As the project moved forward, it became clear that the strength of the partnership was just as important as the technology itself. The Rosen team wasn’t just impressed by the gear; they were struck by how well the Bose Professional team understood the challenges, welcomed feedback, and followed through.
“I’ll be honest, when we looked at the layout, design, and projected results, we were skeptical — not because of the solution being presented, but because of the acoustical limitations of our facility,” said Taylor. “But then the Bose Professional team came out and demoed the speakers, and that completely erased our doubts. The day they fired it up, Mike and I both got butterflies.”
“Bose Professional didn’t try to upsell us — they explained exactly which speakers would work best for our space and why,” said Miller. “They wanted to get it right the first time, and they did. That’s what won us over.”
“It was like they welcomed every challenge,” he added. “They were passionate about solving every problem.”
“You could see it with everyone from Bose Professional who walked through the door, and Greg and his guys too,” said Taylor. “They loved what they were doing, they were good at it, and they knew they had a quality product they could stand behind.”
The Right Tools for the Right Zones
With a clear understanding of how each area of the venue functioned during events, the team at Bose Professional designed a multi-zone solution that delivered both clarity and flexibility, tailored to the way Rosen Aquatic Center operates every day.
The final system includes a combination of:
- DM6SE surface-mount loudspeakers for spectator areas
- DM6PE pendant-mount loudspeakers for athlete bleachers
- DM5SE loudspeakers for the control booth
- DM8SE surface-mount outdoor loudspeakers in the parking lot for vendor and event overflow areas
- Dante-enabled Shure wireless microphones
- Dante wall plates for source inputs throughout the facility
- Bose Professional PowerShareX PSX1204D amplifiers and ControlSpace EX1280 DSP
“One of our biggest goals was just for people to be able to hear,” said Miller. “The final result went far beyond our expectations. Now, down by the athletes, we can pump music while the spectator area has announcements. Or we can shut off music completely. That flexibility was huge for us.”
Designed for the Future
To accommodate future expansion, the eXtream Solutions team installed extra Cat6 and speaker cabling, providing flexibility for additional speakers in the gym, back offices, or elsewhere on campus. The outdoor zones proved especially valuable during large-scale events like national championships, when vendors and spectators gather outside in the parking area. Even there, announcements and music play with remarkable clarity.
“We never thought of adding speakers to the parking lot — that was an idea that Greg put forward,” shared Taylor. “It’s been an incredible feature of our facility, especially for our outdoor events. You can hear everything going on inside the facility, even with the busy interstate nearby.”
Installation had to happen between packed event weekends, a difficult challenge that Greg Gates and his team took head-on. “Scheduling was the hardest part,” said Miller. “But once it was set, Greg and his team knocked it out. They were here until midnight some nights, working around our events. He went above and beyond.”
Sound That Resonates
With the new system fully deployed, the impact on day-to-day operations and special events has been both immediate and lasting. For the Rosen Aquatic Center team, the improved sound quality isn’t just noticeable, it’s transformational.
“We’re being told we now run better, more efficient events — and part of that is because people can hear and understand what’s going on,” said Miller. “The outcome has been absolutely amazing.”
The Bose Professional Solution
Every year, Rosen Aquatic Center hosts a water polo tournament in memory of a young athlete who passed away several years ago. Part of the event includes a tribute video, but in the past, it was difficult for attendees to hear. “This year, thanks to the new system, you could hear every word of the speech clearly,” said Miller. “His father spoke afterward using the mic, and everyone in the venue heard it.”
“The feedback from athletes, coaches, members, and guests was incredible,” said Miller. “I’ve been doing this a long time, and to hear people praising our system at an event that means so much to us — that was a proud moment.”
System Components:
- 30+ Bose Professional DM Series loudspeakers
- 2 Bose Professional DesignMax DM8SE outdoor loudspeakers
- Bose Professional PowerShare amplifiers
- Bose Professional ControlSpace DSP
- Dante-enabled Shure wireless microphones
- Dante source input wall plates
- Extra Cat6 and speaker wire for future expansion
Integrator
eXtream Solutions
Based in Opole, handled systeFlorida-based AV integration firm with nearly two decades of experience designing and installing residential and commercial systems. Known for their reliability and customer focus, eXtream Solutions specializes in networking, automation, surveillance, and professional audio.m installation and LED integration.
Featured Components
DesignMax Loudspeakers
Flexible, high-performance loudspeakers available in surface-mount, pendant, and ceiling models. Provide wide coverage and consistent voicing across models for seamless integration across large or multi-zone spaces.
PowerShare Amplifiers
Share total amplifier power across outputs as needed, optimizing headroom and simplifying system design.
ControlSpace DSP
Scalable digital signal processors that offer precise zone control, signal routing, and integration with Dante, ControlSpace Remote, and third-party systems.
