Miami-Dade County has been talking to Rockstar Games about promoting GTA 6 across the county, and its own sheriff wants the idea dropped. Preview report On September 3, 2026, Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz publicly came out against a marketing partnership, and County Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez joined her.
What was pitched
County staff sent Rockstar a proposal this summer for promoting the game at county facilities and landmarks, in exchange for marketing revenue. Reported ideas included branded trains, branded manhole covers and "Welcome to Vice City" messages at the airport.
A spokesperson for Mayor Daniella Levine Cava confirmed the county has had conversations with Rockstar about opportunities around the launch. He stressed that nothing has been formally agreed or approved, and that any idea would go through the normal review process. The mayor's office argues that Miami's obvious influence on the game is a chance to earn revenue and put the county in front of a huge audience. The Miami Herald has reported that Rockstar made the first approach.
The sheriff's objection
Cordero-Stutz called Grand Theft Auto a franchise built around criminal activity. She said the game's world is full of the crimes her deputies work to prevent, from robbery and carjacking to drug trafficking and violence against police, and that the county should think hard before promoting a fictional identity centred on them. Commissioner Bermudez also called for transparency about the talks and said the idea shouldn't be considered.
What has gone up anyway
The objections haven't stopped everything. On September 22, the giant "Welcome to Vice City" sign was lifted onto the roof of the Kaseya Center, a county-owned arena. That deal was reportedly worth $975,000, just under the $1 million level that would have needed a full county commission vote. Miami Beach and the City of Miami are looking at their own, smaller deals.
The bigger county-wide campaign, including the airport and public transport, is still under discussion, and it's the part facing the most political pushback. We'll update this story if the county approves or rejects it.