Miami Beach Approves GTA 6 Marketing Deal: "Vice City" Beach Ads Start October 15
Vice City is about to take over the real Miami Beach. On September 10, 2026, the Miami Beach City Commission approved, by a 4–3 vote, a marketing deal that will bring Grand Theft Auto VI branding to the city's beaches ahead of the game's launch.
The approval came after a heated debate. Commissioner David Suarez opposed the deal, showed footage from the game during the session and said he did not want the city's brand associated with it. Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz had also criticized the partnership, pointing to the series' focus on crime. Supporters, like Commissioner Monica Matteo-Salinas, argued that enjoying fiction is not the same as endorsing crime, and stressed the financial benefit for the city.
Check out the main details of the campaign:
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Where the ads will appear
Only on private beach equipment, the chairs and umbrellas run by the concessionaire Boucher Brothers. No Rockstar branding will go on city property such as lifeguard stands.
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What they will show
The ads are limited to the Roman numeral "VI" and the name "Vice City", described as discreet placements.
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When
From October 15 to December 31, 2026, covering the November 19 launch and the holiday season.
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How much
Reports put the value of the deal in the millions of dollars, with Beebom citing about $3 million.
The campaign is not limited to the beach. On September 14, a photo shared on Reddit showed large advertising panels laid out behind the Kaseya Center, the Miami Heat's arena in downtown Miami, reportedly meant to spell "Welcome to VI" once installed.
Miami is the real-world inspiration for Vice City, and Rockstar seems ready to make the most of it. If you are in Florida this fall, expect to see the city and the game blend together. To learn how Vice City fits into the state of Leonida, read our guide: the GTA 6 map and Leonida's regions.
Stay tuned to our website for more updates and full coverage as soon as new information about GTA 6 emerges!
Context
The Miami Beach vote is part of a wider push to turn the real Miami into a billboard for Vice City before the November 19 launch. In early September, the Miami Herald reported that Miami-Dade County had discussed ideas such as “Welcome to Vice City” messages at Miami International Airport and branded Metromover cars, which led Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz to object in public. The county also approved, without a commission vote, a $975,000 “Welcome to Vice City” sign on the roof of the Kaseya Center, which went up in September.
What Miami Beach approved on September 10 was the authority to negotiate, not a signed contract. Commissioners discussed a fee of about $3 million, and one suggested it could get closer to $4 million.
What we know
- On September 10, 2026, the Miami Beach City Commission voted 4–3 to open negotiations on a GTA VI marketing campaign.
- The planned branding is limited to “VI” and “Vice City” on beach chairs and umbrellas run by the concessionaire Boucher Brothers, not on city buildings.
- The campaign window discussed runs from October 15 to the end of 2026, covering the November 19 launch.
- In October, county commissioners postponed a broader proposal covering the airport, PortMiami and transit, and required any Rockstar deal above $1 million to come back to them.
What we don't know yet
- As of October 12, a report citing a city official said the Miami Beach contract had not been signed, so the October 15 start may slip.
- The final fee Miami Beach will receive has not been made public.
- Whether any county property, such as Miami International Airport, will carry GTA VI branding remains open; Mayor Daniella Levine Cava says talks continue.
VICEVERSA's take
The beach chairs are the least interesting part of this story. The real question is how closely Rockstar can tie GTA VI to a real city, and how much pushback it gets. So far the pattern is clear: local governments like the money but get nervous once the branding moves onto public property. Miami Beach confined it to a private concessionaire's umbrellas, and the county approved a sign priced just under the threshold that would have required a vote, then stalled on the airport and transit ideas.
For readers, the practical point is that the September vote was a first step, not a finished deal. Early coverage, ours included, presented October 15 as a fixed start date, and that now looks uncertain. Two things are worth watching before launch: whether Miami Beach signs in time to matter, and whether the county proposal returns to the agenda. Discreet “VI” logos can survive a short delay. A campaign timed to a release date cannot wait much longer.
Mike Pagani, editor
Sources
- beebom.com
- tweaktown.com
- notebookcheck.net
- Dexerto — Rockstar is paying $4 million for GTA 6 ads in Miami but the city wants more
- Miami Herald (via Officer.com) — Miami-Dade Sheriff opposes potential Grand Theft Auto VI marketing deal
- TechSpot — Miami-Dade wants to turn parts of the city into a real-life Vice City
- Political Cortadito — Miami-Dade commissioners hit the brakes on Grand Theft Auto VI deal
- GTA BOOM — The Miami Beach GTA 6 deal is not signed yet and will likely miss its October 15 start
