Miami-Dade County and Rockstar Games have signed a $3.9 million agreement to place more advertising for the upcoming “Grand Theft Auto VI” launch, according to a county press release issued Thursday morning.
The deal builds on the “Welcome to Vice City” rooftop display already installed at the Kaseya Center, and adds more ad placements. All graphics must be approved by the county, so the edgy style the game is known for is unlikely to show up on local sidewalks.
The money also has a local purpose. Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said she has allocated the funds to the long-awaited public park at Dan Paul Plaza, the empty lot behind the arena. Carlos Suarez, the mayor’s communications director, told New Times that the full $975,000 from the rooftop display agreement went to the park project.
The site has a long history of unfulfilled promises. In 1996, the Miami Heat promised voters a stadium on one parcel and a public park on the other while campaigning for the arena. Officials later pledged walking paths, shade trees and other amenities, but the parcel stayed mostly a parking and staging area. It was renamed Dan Paul Plaza after pandemic-era criticism, but it remained empty and rarely used.
Residents will be watching whether this funding leads to construction this time.
