Miami-Dade County has struck an almost million-dollar marketing deal with Rockstar Games, the company behind the next Grand Theft Auto video game.
Grand Theft Auto VI, which is set to be released in November, is set in “Vice City” — a fictional city heavily inspired by Miami.
The deal was formally discussed in the early hours of Friday morning, during the county’s overnight budget meeting.
The county, Rockstar, the Miami Heat and the Kaseya Center plan to build a “Welcome to Vice City” sign on the arena’s roof. The funds from the deal would go towards developing a plot of land behind the Kaseya Center that has long been promised to be developed for community use, such as a park.
Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s chief of staff Christopher Hudtwalcker made the announcement at about 1:30am, calling it " the biggest cultural phenomenon of the year" — and it caught several commissioners off guard.
“ I would've appreciated more information,” Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis said. “It surprises me that the Miami Herald knows that Miami-Dade County administrators met with GTA executives to discuss possible advertising campaigns, including Miami International Airport pretending to be Vice City Airport, wrapping a Metromover train, and manhole covers in Miami-Dade County. So — not great to find out on the Herald about this while considering a motion.”
READ MORE: ‘Vice City’ Airport? Miami-Dade commissioner, sheriff blast Grand Theft Auto VI rebranding plan
Commissioner Bermudez brought up the agreement during the meeting. He proposed a motion that would redirect the funds from the agreement to the county Sheriff’s Office in order to plug a funding gap.
“ It's a game where police officers are killed, pedestrians are run over. Maybe they'll make us pedestrians,” Bermudez said. “I think that money should go to the sheriff's office because it's glorifying [crime] in my opinion.”
" We spent a very long time going from Paradise Lost to a wonderful international community. I don't think the marketing of this game is consistent with that," said Bermudez.
Bermudez and Cordero-Stutz earlier this month released a joint statement rejecting any kind of marketing deal with Rockstar Games.
The Mayor signed the deal under her delegated authority to enter into contracts under $1 million without board approval.
Keon Hardemon, the District 3 commissioner whose district includes the Kaseya Center, said he was briefed and that he agreed it was a good idea. Hardemon said he plays Grand Theft Auto, and even though many people shoot police officers and commit other crimes inside the game, the gamer ultimately chooses their own destiny.
" If you shoot at a police officer, you better believe it's gonna be a 'five-star crime,' and all the police officers in Miami-Dade County are coming after you," said Hardemon, referencing terminology in the video game for the highest "wanted" level a player can trigger through violent conduct.
Hardemon noted that in the mid-2010s, the City of Miami police department reached a $10,000-per-episode deal with the reality show The First 48, which depicted the crucial first 48 hours of investigation after a murder. Producers of the show donated the money to a youth sports organization.
He said the deal with Rockstar is much better than that deal, saying the reality show "did a terrible thing from Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami" by associating the region with murder.
" It's a video game," he said. " I do believe that this is gonna be a marketing phenomenon."
Commissioner Oliver Gilbert III raised concerns over the mayor’s office's apparent intent to conduct multiple agreements under $1 million with Rockstar.
“ I do not agree that you can do $900,000 for this, and $700,000 for this, and $400,000 for this, and because you did different agreements, then you don't have to come before the board.” Gilbert said. “You could just go back to the same vendor for spending authority limitations, and you could just do smaller purchases every time. That wouldn't make sense.”
Bermudez’s motion was withdrawn as the administration agreed to brief the commission on the agreement before the next meeting.
