Miami-Dade County has announced a $3.9 million marketing package with Rockstar Games to promote GTA 6 at county facilities .

Miami-Dade has signed a $3.9 million advertising deal with Rockstar Games to promote GTA 6

Miami is preparing for the release of Grand Theft Auto 6 in an unusual way. Miami-Dade County officials have officially announced a $3.9 million advertising partnership with Rockstar Games . The partnership includes decorating city infrastructure in the style of the upcoming game. The advertising campaign will cover Miami International Airport, PortMiami, public transportation, and other city locations.

The agreement was announced on October 28, 2026. The project was presented by District Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who believes that the popularity GTA 6 can be used to attract additional funds to the local economy and develop public spaces.

"Millions of people around the world are eagerly awaiting the release of this game, and we have the opportunity to ensure Miami-Dade benefits from that attention as well. These agreements will help transform interest in the game into additional revenue for our community," the mayor said.

How will Miami be transformed into a real Vice City?

According to the district's official announcement, the advertising campaign includes several large-scale installations that are intended to make real-life Miami resemble its in-game version, Vice City.

Among the planned changes:

• Miami International Airport (MIA) - Thematic lighting and advertising structures, including on pedestrian crossings between parking lots and terminals.
• PortMiami Seaport - GTA 6 -themed decorative lighting and advertising.
• Urban infrastructure - special decorative wraps for individual traffic light control cabinets throughout the district.
• Public transport - advertising placements on Metromover, Metrobus and Metrorail through companies that manage advertising space for the transport system.

Importantly, Rockstar Games will cover the costs of installation, maintenance, and removal of the advertising structures in accordance with agreements with the county. The proposed design of all installations is still subject to final approval by local authorities and compliance with advertising regulations.

$975,000 for the Welcome to Vice City sign

Part of the overall promotional package was another high-profile promotion that GTA 6 fans may have already heard about.

A huge structure bearing the inscription "Welcome to Vice City " was installed on the roof of the Kaseya Center, home of the Miami Heat basketball team. The installation quickly attracted the attention of players and the media, and photos and videos of it began to spread widely online.

This advertising structure was the result of a separate agreement between Rockstar Games and the county for $975,000. This amount is already included in the overall $3.9 million package and is not an additional fee.

Interestingly, local authorities decided to use the proceeds to develop the Dan Paul Plaza public park, located behind the arena. Thus, the advertising campaign not only draws attention to GTA 6 but also helps fund local infrastructure.

Not everyone was happy with the collaboration with Rockstar

Despite the financial benefits, the idea of a large-scale advertising campaign initially generated considerable controversy among local officials.

Back in August 2026, it was reported that Rockstar Games had approached Miami-Dade with a promotional partnership proposal. At the time, local officials were considering much more ambitious concepts: from themed airport and transit station decorations to special installations, souvenir transit maps, and even Vice City-themed manhole covers.

However, not everyone supported the idea. County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz opposed the use of government property to promote a game largely centered around crime, robberies, and violence.

She emphasized that local police fight crime every day, so advertising a franchise that glamorizes the criminal lifestyle on government property isn't the best idea. County Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez also expressed his position, questioning the wisdom of exploiting Miami's international image to promote a fictional city built around crime and lawlessness.

As a result, the initial plans were revised. Instead of a full-scale renaming of the airport to Vice City Airport and a major overhaul of the transportation system, the parties focused on advertising installations, themed lighting, and other agreed-upon formats.

Miami is becoming part of the GTA 6 advertising campaign.

It's worth noting that Miami-Dade isn't the only local government that has decided to take advantage of the upcoming game's popularity.

The City of Miami has also approved the placement of advertising banners in the city center, and Miami Beach has entered into separate agreements to place ads on beach equipment. Thus, GTA 6 promotion is gradually expanding to more real-world locations in South Florida.

It seems Rockstar Games has decided to go beyond traditional trailers, billboards, and online advertising. The company is turning the very city that inspired Vice City into part of its own marketing campaign.

Grand Theft Auto 6 will be released on November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S . And it's quite possible that by the time it launches, the real-life Miami will resemble Vice City even more than ever before.