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'Real World' Back On in Philly

Wednesday, March 24, 2004

02:28 PM PT

MTV is finally feeling some Brotherly Love from the city of Philadelphia.

Negotiations between producers of "The Real World" and city officials resulted Tuesday (March 23) in the show's return to the city, about a week after it pulled up stakes over heavy union protests at the site of the "Real World" house near downtown Philly.

Filming of the show's 15th season will begin on schedule next month.

As part of a deal worked out between the city and "Real World" producer Bunim/Murray, union subcontractors will do some of the remaining work on the "Real World" loft, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The building was about 70 percent finished when work was halted early last week.

Local unions were up in arms over the fact that Bunim/Murray hired a non-union contractor to do the renovations on a former church building in Philly's Old City neighborhood. The company has used non-union labor at all its previous "Real World" locations.

The site was the subject of frequent pickets that helped lead to the show's brief departure. After the crew bailed, Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and other officials joined negotiations to bring "The Real World" back.

The negotiations also resolved a few other issues, such as moving a bus stop near the house and providing for police patrols in the area.