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By Amanda Arroway | Asst. News Editor
The Riverside City College Aquatics Center is being transformed for its starring role in ABC’s new reality TV show “Splash.”
The show will feature 10 celebrities who will try to impress a panel of judges with their diving form.
Some notable celebrity contestants include reality TV star Kendra Wilkinson, former NBA player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, NFL player Ndamukong Suh, Drake Bell from Nickelodeon’s “Drake & Josh” and comedian Louie Anderson.
Other competitors include former child star Keshia Knight Pulliam, of the “Cosby Show,” TV talk show sidekick Chuy Bravo, former Miss Universe Nicole Eggert, Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Katherine Webb and extreme skier Rory Bushfield.
The celebrities will be coached by Olympic diving medalist Greg Louganis, and will have to “look fear in the face as they leap off the 10 meter high dive.”
The judges are Steve Foley, U.S. dive team director and Australian Olympic athlete, and David Boudia, an Olympic gold medalist in diving.
Luis Solis / Photo Editor
The network says that a poolside audience will also be present, though details about ticket distribution have yet to be released.
The aquatics center has platforms that are 10 and seven and a half meters on a concrete diving tower, as well as springboards that are three and one meters.
Since the Aquatics Center opened in January of 2011, it is estimated that it has brought the Riverside economy more than $3.5 million.
There have been no financial numbers released yet for the show.
“It is going to raise the profile of the college and the Riverside Aquatics Center,” Riverside Community College District Jim Parsons told Viewpoints.
Parsons also alluded to intern-type opportunities that will be available to students during filming. However, information on how to get involved has yet to be released.
Nearly 100 construction workers from the Los Angeles area were brought out to construct a tent-like structure over the diving pool, just as students were beginning spring semester.
The stage will stay in place above the pool for an estimated two months, and will be removed in time for the CIF swimming and diving championships in early May.
The show is set to premiere at 8 p.m. March 19.