Control AV's Orlando Expansion Signals a New Era in Experiential Tech

ORLANDO, Fla. – October 08, 2026 – The lines between a luxury cruise vacation and a world-class theme park experience have been blurring for years. Today, that convergence takes a tangible, operational form. Control AV, a global integrator of advanced entertainment technology, announced the appointment of industry veteran Kevin Cartier as its new Chief Operating Officer, alongside the official opening of a permanent office in Orlando, Florida.

At first glance, an audiovisual company opening a new branch might seem like standard corporate housekeeping. But viewed through the lens of shifting global organizational dynamics, Control AV's strategic positioning in Central Florida reveals a profound transformation in how experiential technology is designed, scaled, and delivered. The move effectively bridges the company's maritime roots in Miami with the terrestrial theme park capital of the world, creating a talent and operational corridor designed to serve an entirely new breed of immersive entertainment.

Founded in 2013, Control AV has quietly built a formidable footprint, executing complex audio, video, and lighting integrations across the cruise, yacht, and commercial sectors. With existing offices spanning Miami, Turku, Totana, Marghera, and Bogota, the addition of Orlando is not merely geographic expansion—it is a calculated play for the specialized engineering and creative talent required to build the next generation of immersive spaces.

Bridging the Gap Between Ship and Shore

To understand the significance of this expansion, one must look at the rapid evolution of the modern cruise ship. Over the past decade, maritime vessels have transformed from floating hotels into highly complex experiential ecosystems. Today's mega-ships are layered with high-impact attractions that rival anything found on dry land.

From interactive dining experiences and virtual reality-enhanced waterparks to immersive escape rooms and robotic bartending systems, the demand for theme park-style interactive technology at sea has skyrocketed. However, deploying these systems in a marine environment presents unique, unforgiving challenges. Salt air, constant high heat, extreme noise, strict weight limitations, and the persistent movement of the ocean require specialized engineering that standard terrestrial integrators often struggle to navigate.

"Miami and Orlando are the cruise and themed entertainment capitals of the world, and those two industries are converging," Cartier noted in the company's announcement. Having spent his career at the intersection of these two markets, Cartier understands that the hardware and software driving these experiences are increasingly identical. "Putting a permanent team here in Orlando gives us access to that bench of talent and positions Control AV at the forefront of that convergence."

The modern guest demands authentic, story-led experiences, regardless of whether they are navigating a multi-acre theme park in Central Florida or sailing the Caribbean. To deliver this, integrators are increasingly relying on Audio Video over IP (AVoIP) for centralized control, seamless switching, and scalable integration of content across hundreds of shipboard zones. The technology must be deeply integrated and highly reliable, creating an "invisible" infrastructure that enhances the story without ever breaking the illusion.

The Gravity of Central Florida's Talent Pool

For a company scaling global operations, the choice of where to place a new operational hub is critical. Orlando's enduring status as a magnet for creative and engineering talent makes it an indispensable asset for any firm operating in the experiential space.

Central Florida is home to a massive concentration of design studios, technical shops, and simulation technology pioneers. Driven by the presence of entertainment behemoths like Disney and Universal, the region has cultivated a highly specialized workforce. Experts in 3D modeling, spatial audio, show control programming, and augmented reality integration are densely packed into this geographic area.

The region is also recognized as a world leader in simulation technologies, with over a hundred companies dedicated to virtual environments and training systems. This unique blend of entertainment flair and rigorous technical simulation is precisely what is needed to design AV systems for modern cruise ships, where failure is not an option and technical support is often an ocean away. By establishing a base for design, engineering, and project delivery in this hub, Control AV is tapping directly into a wellspring of expertise that is difficult to find anywhere else in the world.

As one local industry analyst observed, the region acts as a gravity well for technical talent; companies that want to play at the highest levels of immersive design eventually have to set up shop in Orlando's orbit.

Douglas Ellis, CEO of Control AV, emphasized this strategic alignment. "Kevin's record speaks for itself. Bringing him on as COO, and doing it from Orlando, tells you where we think the work is going," Ellis stated. The work is undeniably moving toward hyper-customized, technically dense environments that require seamless collaboration between creative visionaries and the engineers who can actually make the hardware function flawlessly under pressure.

Scaling the Business of Immersion

Cartier brings more than two decades of operations leadership and project delivery experience to his new role. His track record includes delivering award-winning entertainment technology projects across North America and the Middle East—experience that will be vital as Control AV navigates the operational hurdles of scaling complex audiovisual integration globally.

Managing a global supply chain for custom experiential technology is a daunting task. Integrators must coordinate the fabrication of marine-grade LED displays, the programming of intricate show control systems, and the physical installation of heavy equipment in active shipyards or bustling theme parks, often on opposite sides of the planet. Doing this efficiently requires rigorous operational discipline and a standardized approach to project delivery.

"Kevin's arrival marks a pivotal moment for Control AV as we execute our long-term growth strategy," added Amir El Yordi, President of Control AV.

As Chief Operating Officer, Cartier's mandate will likely involve streamlining these global delivery mechanisms. The Orlando office will serve as a critical node in this network, acting not just as a sales outpost, but as a robust center of excellence for engineering and design. By consolidating technical talent in a location where innovation is already happening at breakneck speed, the company can accelerate its research and development cycles, bringing new, ruggedized immersive technologies to market faster.

The Future of "Invisible" Technology

The convergence of the cruise and themed entertainment industries is more than just a passing trend; it represents a fundamental shift in the business of leisure. As artificial intelligence and machine learning begin to drive personalization—offering tailored activity suggestions and dynamically altering environmental lighting and audio based on crowd flow—the underlying AV infrastructure will only become more complex.

Guests are responding to innovation with their wallets, rewarding operators who can provide meaningful, engaging, and personalized experiences. The companies that will thrive in this new era are those that can bridge the gap between creative ambition and technical reality, delivering robust systems that operate flawlessly whether they are installed in a dark ride in Orlando or on the top deck of a vessel navigating the high seas.

With its expanded footprint and new operational leadership, Control AV is positioning itself to be the invisible hand behind these experiences. By anchoring its future in the talent-rich soil of Central Florida while maintaining its deep ties to the global maritime industry, the company is building a blueprint for how modern technology integrators must adapt to serve a world that increasingly demands magic on demand.