Yes, there is a Real World suite, which can be viewed on the Gold Spike's website, and that of its Oasis at Gold Spike boutique accommodation, or in an extensive Las Vegas Weekly photo gallery. The Gold Spike, once one of the seediest spots in downtown Las Vegas, has risen sufficiently under Tony Hsieh's ownership to have been the site for the 31st season of "The Real World," the fourth filmed in Las Vegas.
Previous settings were the Palms – where six rooms were combined to create one vast suite -- and the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, in 2002 and 2011 respectively, plus a 2007 "reunion" series filmed at the Palms. The Hard Rock season was notable for the eviction of cast member Adam Royer for $3,105 in damages that necessitated a "biohazard deep clean."
The series, filmed last autumn, is aptly described by VitalVegas.com as "the once-groundbreaking reality show featuring a group of strangers who move in together and proceed to drink excessively, get it on, and learn important life lessons about tolerance and pretending to be gainfully employed." In the words of the Downtown Project, Gold Spike's parent company, "The show has been hailed for it's [sic] truthful portrayal of the struggles young adults face in the world."
"We're hopeful that the "Real World" filming will really highlight downtown as a great place to visit and hang out, encourage travelers to explore downtown, expose a whole new generation of young travelers, who are the target demographic for the show, to downtown Las Vegas. We're also hoping more people will see the great businesses and developments that are the result of the recent years of revitalization efforts in the area," Downtown Project Vice President of Operations Mark Carlson told Travel Weekly.
Being a "Real World" location can be a boon to business. Former Palms owner George Maloof said the impact of the 2002 season was felt "within a week." Maloof – who insisted on an all over-21 cast and no drug use – credits "The Real World" with reinventing Las Vegas' identity as a place to go for nightclubs and pool parties. Assignments for the 2015 cast included dressing in drag for a night on the town, bungee jumping from a hot-air balloon, and spending an entire minute with a poisonous tarantula on your body – all common downtown experiences, as any Las Vegan can tell you. Cast members ranged from a "pansexual" former Mormon, to a gun-loving gal from South Carolina, along with "an aspiring journalist with impressive derriere and loud, unpredictable personality." In other words, your typical next-door neighbors.
Gold Spike ownership converted the top floor of their hotel into a 5,000-square-foot penthouse, crafted by theatrical designer Katherine De Luca. She described her inspiration as the "boho chic movement, which is coming out of the desert in Southern California. It's a freestyle, bohemian, world-traveler vibe where you collect pieces from your journeys. You don’t have a match-matchey place. You have a chair from your grandfather’s house. You have a sofa from Ikea and a pillow from a flea market you found." Palms Springs was the design influence MTV wanted. De Luca added that she had to drunk-proof "literally all" of the suite, making sure that "everything is really, really durable."
If you can afford to rent it, you'll be able to enjoy such amenities as a pool table, three bedrooms, a full kitchen, and three patios. The Downtown Project promotes it as ideal for parties, group meetings, and other special events. It goes for $2,500 a night on weekends, slightly less midweek.
The Downtown Project's involvement with "The Real World" has already paid off. Director of Public Relations Maria Phelan reports that "we've definitely noticed an increase in customers and the exposure from the show has expanded the demographic, although Gold Spike has been a pretty popular downtown spot for locals for the past couple of years, and certainly continues to be."
