Miami-Dade County versus "Vice City": dispute over land use for GTA VI

Rockstar Games is about to launch Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19, but already Miami is acquiring Vice City appearances. The excitement around the game is difficult to underestimate: after two delays and eight years since Rockstar’s last major release, Red Dead Redemption 2, the title will arrive on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar’s parent company, has never revealed the cost of developing the game and abstained from a precise figure at Fortune in the beginning of the year. However, a ranking from the Zero1 Gaming gaming platform estimates a combined development and marketing budget of approximately $2 billion, making GTA VI the most expensive video game ever made. The Newzoo research company projections indicate that the game could generate between $3.25 and $5.2 billion in its first week, based on preliminary pre-order data. Also some employers are already taking into account the launch; a U.S. Army unit even offers vacation days to play it. Beyond the virtual Vice City, Rockstar’s marketing strategy is directly focused on the true city that inspired it. Not all Miami-Dade County government officials are happy. The county proposal On June 29, Miami-Dade officers presented a presentation at Rockstar outlining potential promotional activations on county property, according to documents obtained by The Miamian through a request for public acts. The concepts included a "Vice City Airport" arrival experience at Miami International Airport, Metromover trains with the Vice City brand, a mural in PortMiami, custom tomb covers in downtown Miami and Brickell, and a automotive cultural festival at Tropical Park. The mayor's office presented the idea as a way to make money. “No decision was formally agreed or approved and any idea should be submitted to the appropriate review and approval process,” said Carlos Suarez, spokesman for Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, at The Miamian. “Considering the clear influence of Miami-Dade on the game, we think there is a unique opportunity to generate revenue for the Condado while we promote Miami-Dade to a huge audience. ” The Member and the Commissioner oppose Other county leaders expressed strong reservations. On 3 September, Congressman Rosie Cordero-Stutz and Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez issued a joint statement urging the county to refuse the use of public resources to promote the game. “We should promote the Miami-Dade that we have worked so hard to build, not a fictitious version of our community defined by crime and violence,” said Bermudez. Cordero-Stutz called Grand Theft Auto “a videoludic saga built around criminal activity.” The statement ended abruptly: "Miami-Dade County is not Vice City". The opposition returned to the October 6 County Council meeting. There, several councilmen, led by René Garcia, challenged the negotiation by the mayor's staff of paid promotions in the county facilities. With a procedural movement sufficiently strong to put an end to the discussions, Commissioner Oliver Gilbert used a procedural action to push the meeting table to vote on 20 October.

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