The hype machine for Grand Theft Auto 6 has reached Miami City Hall, and it could result in a $1.2 million infusion for a downtown Miami park project in exchange for the city relaxing its billboard regulations.
The city, led by Miami District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo, wants to grant signage waivers usually reserved for major events like the 2026 World Cup to Rockstar Games, the maker of the popular video game series.
Pardo is sponsoring an ordinance on the Sept. 10 city commission agenda that would authorize the placement of temporary banners, building wraps and promotional displays advertising GTA 6, which transports gamers to Vice City, a fictional locale based on Miami. The signage would be allowed in downtown Miami between Oct. 15 and Dec. 31. The game is scheduled for worldwide release on Nov. 19.
The signage would be approved by Take Two Interactive Software, Rockstar’s parent company, according to a draft of the legislation.
The ordinance states:
“The release of GTA VI is anticipated to generate substantial national and international media, consumer, entertainment, and cultural attention and presents an opportunity to further highlight Miami as an international center for entertainment, technology, media, tourism, and creative industries. Due to the unique international significance of the GTA VI release and its cultural association with Miami, the City Commission desires to provide a limited, temporary, geographically defined authorization for promotional displays associated exclusively with GTA VI release.”
In a text response relayed by a spokesperson, Pardo said a maximum of six banners would be allowed in Miami’s urban core for 56 days, but with a caveat: downtown Miami homeowner associations would have to agree to the deal.
Rockstar would pay $202,000 per banner and the money received by the city would go toward the development of the Upperdeck - Edward T. Graham Heritage Trail, Pardo said. The project is a planned 33-acre public square under the new Interstate 395 Signature Bridge.
Meanwhile, Miami-Dade Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez and Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz have come out publicly against a possible marketing campaign involving Rockstar to transform prominent county facilities like Miami International Airport into real-life Vice City destinations. The Miamian broke the story about Miami-Dade officials pitching Rockstar on a Vice City takeover.
Axios was first to report the two elected officials’ opposition. In statement, Cordero-Stutz slammed the idea of using county buildings and equipment to market a video game series that rewards players for engaging in violent criminal activities.
Cordero-Stutz said:
“Grand Theft Auto is a video game franchise built around criminal activity. Its fictional world includes murder, robbery, drug trafficking, carjacking, violence against law enforcement, and other conduct that the men and women of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office work every single day to prevent.”
Unanswered Questions
GTA 6’s controversial content aside, how local government officials decided to lean on Vice City’s worldwide cache to advertise Miami remain shrouded in mystery. For instance, a search of city of Miami and Miami-Dade lobbyist databases resulted in zero hits for individuals representing Rockstar or Take Two.
Obviously, this is something that would take a coordinated effort involving employees of either company and their government consultants, lawyers and lobbyists. All of them would be required by city, county and state law to register as lobbyists and disclose the purpose of their lobbying. Another piece of information that hasn’t been disclosed: How much will Miami-Dade get paid for promoting GTA 6?
The Miamian is waiting for the office of Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to produce public records related to the Vice City pitch, including emails between county staff and Rockstar representatives, as well as any other documents that will shed light on how the negotiations started and drafts of any proposed agreements.
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