MTV RETURNS TO THE SEXY, SINFUL CITY OF LAS VEGAS AS THE 25TH SEASON OF "THE REAL WORLD" PREMIERES ON WEDNESAY, MARCH 9 AT 10 PM ET/PT

New York, NY (February 9, 2011) - You've heard it before, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," but for the seven strangers of "The Real World," what happens in Vegas, gets broadcast on MTV. For its 25th season, "The Real World" returns to the city defined by pleasure, temptation, and youth, on Wednesday, March 9 at 10pm ET/PT, for a look inside the lives of Adam, Dustin, Heather, Leroy, Michael, Naomi, and Nany. As the season progresses, the roommates get to know each other, divulge secrets about themselves, and experience the ups and downs of life while living at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Everything in Vegas this time around is on a grander scale, and that will come across loud and clear this season. Romance amongst the cast members is at an all time high, as secrets are revealed and relationships are challenged. While some relationships will fail, others will emerge stronger and deeper.

This season, the roommates will enjoy all that Vegas has to offer while living it up in a lavish, pimped out suite fit for a rock star. Located in the Casino Tower at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, the suite was specially designed and features "Real World" staples including a fish tank, a pool table, a confessional, and a phone room. An added bonus to the suite is the Hard Rock's infamous, celeb-favorite, bowling alley, and one of the biggest and most luxurious restrooms in "Real World" history, modeled after the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino's nightclub, Vanity.

Throughout the 25 seasons of the series, "The Real World" has been one of the network's highest rated shows. Last season's "The Real World: New Orleans" was a top 20 original cable series amongst viewers P12-34. Real World New Orleans also ranked #1 in its time period across all television among MTV's core P12-34 audience.

Viewers can head over to "The Real World: Las Vegas" for exclusive cast photos, and bios of your favorite roommates. Fans will have access to exclusive uncensored and unedited clips on The Real World Dailies, starting on March 4. Beginning March 9, sneak peeks of upcoming and previously aired episodes and weekly online after shows will be available online as well.

"In creating The Real World, we set out to capture the unfiltered lives of seven strangers living under one roof, but the show immediately became much bigger, pushing television boundaries and holding a mirror to the issues affecting society. While times have changed and 'real' lives have become fodder for programs on every channel covering every possible topic, we remain relevant because we are always at the forefront of addressing the challenges faced by young adults," said Jonathan Murray, Chairman of Bunim/Murray Productions. "For our 25th season, we're returning to the high-stakes city of Las Vegas with cast members that, while diverse, share many similar demons."

Sun Drop is celebrating its nationwide launch on March 9 by "dropping it" with "The Real World" cast for an upcoming season-long partnership that includes a nationwide promotion on-air, online and in-store wherever Sun Drop is sold. Sun Drop fans will have a chance to get dropped in the Real World Suite during an all-expense paid trip to Las Vegas. In addition, the beverage brand will air its new advertising campaign throughout the season. Sun Drop, a citrus soda originally introduced in 1949 and a favorite in the Carolinas and Midwest, is part of the Dr Pepper Snapple Group (NYSE: DPS).

Meet the new "Las Vegas" cast:

Adam, 22 - Portland, ME

Growing up in Maine, Adam was the kid who was never really good at anything. He didn't excel in sports, had trouble with academics and had few friends. But then he discovered his talent for dealing drugs� and everything changed. At 16 years-old, Adam found himself caught between a drug robbery gone badly and the law. His life can still be described as a whirlwind of manipulated tales. With a city notoriously known for crazy stories, time will only tell how long it takes Adam to walk too far into the bright lights.

Dustin, 24 - Rayne, LA

With his boyish charm and southern gentleman demeanor, Dustin seems like the nicest roommate in the house; but you'd never expect a history quite like his. Originally from a small town in Louisiana, Dustin grew up with a bi-polar, drug addicted mom and an abusive step-dad. Although he was constantly shuttled between parents, relatives and various friends' houses, Dustin worked hard to maintain relationships with his family. Dustin is known by his friends to be a highly competitive guy who sometimes uses his southern hospitality and good looks to win attention from the ladies.

Heather, 21 - Delran, NJ

Standing 5 foot 3 inches, Heather makes up for her petite stature with a big personality. She's been described as ambitious�but also loud and confrontational. Heather grew up in a small town with a close-knit family and spent most of her adolescence living through her brother's struggle with brain cancer. The constant attention on her brother made Heather feel neglected and abandoned by her family. Heather hopes to parlay her gift of gab into a career as a talk show host, and is currently majoring in Communications and Information Technology at Monmouth University. Recently single, Heather hopes to enjoy the best guys that Vegas has to offer, but stay away from entering a new relationship, especially with a roommate.

Leroy, 25 - Detroit, MI

Leroy was 10 years old when he and his sisters were suddenly taken away from their birth mother for her alcoholism and drug abuse. Although Leroy's foster parents practiced 'tough love' and even used their hand to teach him a lesson, Leroy has continued to keep a positive outlook toward making a better life for himself. Without a college education or a secure family, Leroy learned to become entirely self-reliant and credits his past experiences with making him a better man. He also prides himself on his indescribable 'system' of picking up girls, which is really just starting with the hottest girl in the room and working his way down until finally sealing the deal. It doesn't hurt that he looks like a professional athlete, and might on occasion pretend to be one in order to get a girl. Will the girls in Vegas fall for it?

Michael, 23 - College Park, MD

Michael is an outspoken Libertarian, world hunger solution advocate, beer pong pro, and all around nice guy from Nokesville, VA. At a first glance, he may seem like a typical small-town guy, however, Michael's background is anything but typical. As a child, Michael's parents were heavily involved in drugs and served jail time, leaving him to live with his grandparents, then his stepmom, then back to his dad after his stepmom's house burned down. Despite his troubled past, Michael believes that his experiences have made him a stronger person, and that helping others is the key to "paying it forward". Michael hopes to shed off his small-town skin in Vegas and party with his new roommates, although whether or not they will get along is anybody's guess.

Nany, 21 - Jamestown, NY

Nany is a strikingly beautiful, Hispanic-American, sweetheart who was a popular athlete and dancer for a semi - pro hockey team throughout college. Normal as that sounds, her childhood was anything but. Nany's father was jailed on drug charges before she was born; and although she hopes one day to find him, they've never even met. With the help of her now-sober mother and supportive stepfather, Nany is looking to escape her small town and build a better life for herself. She's currently pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice and wants eventually to become a parole officer. Although Nany has a boyfriend she's been seeing on and off for 6 years, the relationship is rocky. Arriving in Vegas she just wants to let loose and see what the city has to offer.

Naomi, 22 - Bronx, NY

Naomi is an intelligent, self-reliant woman who doesn't seem like she quite fit into the gritty, drug-ridden town of Bronx, New York. This Hispanic firecracker did her best to steer away from the troubled streets, but Naomi's parents weren't so successful. Although her mother's irresponsibility caused Naomi to become emotionally hard and defensive, Naomi has realized she needs to work on this and has grown to really value and cherish relationships with people. Today, Naomi has successfully managed to drive her life in a new direction by graduating college, becoming the president of a nationally recognized sorority and interning for several successful entertainment companies.

"The Real World" launched the modern reality television genre and is the longest-running reality series in history. Past seasons have taken place in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Miami, Boston, Seattle, Hawaii, New Orleans, Chicago, Las Vegas, Paris, San Diego, Philadelphia, Austin, Key West, Denver, Sydney, Hollywood, Brooklyn, Cancun, and DC. The first season, set in New York City, debuted in 1992. Each season, the show brings seven, and now eight, young adults to live together in a new city and rolls the cameras 24-7, witnessing as their lives intersect, their ideas are challenged and their passions emerge.

"The Real World" was created for MTV by Jon Murray and Mary-Ellis Bunim of Bunim-Murray Productions. Jon Murray and Jim Johnston serve as Executive Producers of "The Real World: Las Vegas." Jacquelyn French is the MTV executive overseeing the project.

About MTV:

MTV is the world's premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its Emmy(R), Grammy(R) and Peabody(R) award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. MTV's sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unparalleled customized content for young males, music fans and college students, and its online hub MTV.com is the leading destination for music, news and pop culture. MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.

About Bunim/Murray Productions:

Bunim/Murray Productions is the leading producer of innovative entertainment content. The Emmy Award-winning company is widely credited with creating the reality television genre with its hit series The Real World (25 seasons for MTV). Bunim/Murray continued to innovate with the first reality game show, Road Rules (MTV), in 1995; the first reality sitcom, The Simple Life (E!), in 2003; and the first reality soap opera, Starting Over, in 2003. Bunim/Murray's current programming includes The Bad Girls Club and Love Games (Oxygen), Keeping up with the Kardashians, Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami, Kim and Kourtney Take New York, Khloe and Lamar, The Spin Crowd and Married to Rock (E!), The Real World/Road Rules Challenge (MTV), Project Runway (Lifetime) and Saddle Ranch (VH1). Bunim/Murray Productions has launched additional entities including M Theory Entertainment, BMP Films and M Music. BMP Films produced Pedro (MTV) and the Emmy Award-winning Autism: The Musical (HBO). Based in Van Nuys, CA, Bunim/Murray Productions was founded in 1987 by Jonathan Murray and the late Mary-Ellis Bunim. The company joined Banijay Entertainment in 2010.

About Hard Rock Hotel & Casino:

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, owned and operated by Morgans Hotel Group Co. (NASDAQ: MHGC) and equity partner DLJ Merchant Banking Partners, is a premier destination entertainment resort situated on 26 acres in Las Vegas. Built in 1995, the property recently completed its $750 million expansion in early 2010. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino offers an energetic entertainment and gaming experience with the services and amenities associated with a boutique luxury resort hotel. The property is known for its innovative nightlife and music scene where such acts as The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Paul McCartney, Incubus, Nine Inch Nails and The Killers have all performed. Features of the property include an 11-story Hard Rock Hotel tower with 640 guest rooms, 17-story Paradise Tower with 490 rooms and suites and the all-suite HRH Tower with 359 suites, eight spa villas and seven penthouse suites; 72,000 square feet of casino space; 80,000 square feet of flexible meeting and convention space; the luxurious Vanity nightclub; Reliquary Water Sanctuary & Spa; Reliquary Salon; 4.8 acres of tropical pool paradise; Rehab, the trendsetting Sunday afternoon pool party; The Joint by Rogue concert venue, home to Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits; Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co.; Poker Lounge; restaurants including Rare 120 steakhouse, the Tuscan-style Italian eatery AGO, world-renowned Nobu, Johnny Smalls, Pink Taco and Mr. Lucky's 24/7 diner; numerous cocktail lounges; several retail stores; and a state-of-the-art Fitness Center. For room availability and additional information call 800.HRD.ROCK (800.473.7625) or visit www.hardrockhotel.com.