Rosen Aquatic Center Dedicates Lane 2 to Harris Rosen
In celebration of Mr. Rosen's incredible achievements, Orlando honored him on his birthday.
The Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center has dedicated one of its swimming lanes to late Orlando hotelier and philanthropist Harris Rosen, honoring a daily ritual that reflected his lifelong commitment to health and community service.
The Lane 2 dedication took place yesterday, Sept. 9, Rosen’s birthday, as Rosen Hotels & Resorts marked its second annual Founder’s Day. Rosen swam at least 1.25 miles in the lane each morning, making the aquatic center a regular part of his routine.
“Many people knew Harris Rosen as a visionary, a philanthropist and a community champion. Here, he was known as an athlete,” said Frank Santos, president and CEO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts and president of the center’s board. “Day after day, year after year, he could be found swimming here in Lane 2.”
Rosen helped save the former YMCA Aquatic Center from closure twice, most recently accepting the facility as a gift from the YMCA of Central Florida in 2020. It reopened under the Rosen name in 2021.
Today, the nonprofit center hosts Special Olympics athletes, high school and club swimming teams, and lifesaving training programs for local organizations. It also offers free swimming and water safety classes through partnerships with Step Into Swim and Every Child A Swimmer.
Located on International Drive, the center features three pools, including a 50-meter competition pool with a hydraulically retractable roof, a teaching pool and a diving pool.
The Lane 2 dedication serves as a permanent reminder of Rosen’s personal connection to the facility and his efforts to preserve it for future generations.
