Miami-Dade commissioners to vote on Grand Theft Auto VI promotions on county property

What is on the agenda

Miami-Dade County commissioners are scheduled to vote Tuesday, Oct. 20, on whether to allow paid promotions for Grand Theft Auto VI on county property, Fortune reported on Oct. 19. The vote follows weeks of argument over how much of the county should be used to advertise Rockstar Games' Miami-inspired title, which is set in a fictional Vice City. ^[1]

The outcome was not known at the time of writing. A measure sponsored by Commissioner Anthony Rodriguez would have let Mayor Daniella Levine Cava's office negotiate a multimillion-dollar advertising deal with Rockstar. Political Cortadito reported that Commissioner Oliver Gilbert used a parliamentary move to postpone that vote, so the proposal was neither defeated nor approved. ^[3]

The existing sign deal

The county has already signed a $975,000 agreement with Rockstar for a "Welcome to Vice City" sign on the county-owned Kaseya Center, home of the Miami Heat. Fortune reported that a helicopter placed the sign on Sept. 22, and that the price sits $25,000 below the $1 million threshold at which a commission vote is required. ^[1]

The board has since voted to require that any Rockstar agreement above $1 million return to the commission for approval, Political Cortadito reported. Commissioner Rene Garcia was quoted as saying the game portrays Miami like a "murder capital," while Rodriguez countered that it is a fictional game. ^[3]

The mayor's office has said nothing has been formally agreed beyond that deal, according to Fortune, which quoted spokesperson Carlos Suarez describing the idea as a way to raise county revenue. County staff had pitched Rockstar on June 29 with options including an airport arrival experience, wrapped Metromover cars, a PortMiami mural and a car festival at Tropical Park, Fortune reported. ^[1]

Other local deals

Rockstar's local marketing extends beyond the county. Fortune reported that Miami Beach approved a deal worth up to $4 million by a 4-3 vote on Sept. 10, with branding on beach chairs and umbrellas from Oct. 15 to Dec. 31, and that the City of Miami approved temporary banners worth up to $1.2 million. The Miami Heat are due to play the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 18 in a game billed as "A Night in Vice City." ^[1]

The game's status

Grand Theft Auto VI is set to launch Nov. 19 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar released its final launch trailer on Oct. 15, and no PC version has been announced or dated, gHacks reported. ^[2]

Notebookcheck, summarizing a Bloomberg feature, reported on Oct. 17 that developers said the game had not yet "gone gold," meaning the final build was still being refined, and that preloads are scheduled for Nov. 12. The outlet argued that continued work does not by itself signal another delay. The game's launch was previously moved from May 26 to Nov. 19. ^[4]

What happens next

Commissioners could end negotiations, set conditions on further deals, or let the mayor's office continue. Any agreement above $1 million must now return to the board. With launch four weeks away, the decision will determine whether further Vice City installations appear on county property before Nov. 19. This article does not establish why searches for the game rose on Oct. 20. ^{[1] [3]}