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A “Welcome to Vice City” sign went up on the roof of Miami’s Kaseya Center, home of the Miami Heat, on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. A helicopter lifted the pink-and-white letters into place one by one (Local 10), and CBS Miami says travelers flying into Miami International Airport can see them. Rockstar has not commented, so everything below is reported.
The deal
| Reported detail | |
|---|---|
| Price | Close to $1 million, paid by Rockstar to Miami-Dade County (WLRN, Local 10); about $975,000 per DesignRush citing IGN |
| Signed by | Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, under her power to approve contracts below $1 million, so no commission vote |
| Size | About 4,690 sq ft of lettering on roughly 21,000 lb of new steel |
| Term | One year after installation or through April 11, 2027, the Heat’s last 2026–27 home game, whichever is later |
| Deadline | Rockstar could walk away if the sign was not up by October 15, 2026 |
| Proceeds | Developing the county land behind the arena, likely as a park |
Figures are from DesignRush, which cites county paperwork reviewed by IGN for the term; the signing detail is from WLRN. An earlier “until 2028” claim is unverified.
The pushback
The county disclosed the deal at about 1:30 AM on Friday, September 18, in an overnight budget hearing. The mayor’s chief of staff, Christopher Hudtwalcker, called GTA VI “the biggest cultural phenomenon of the year.” Several commissioners said they had not known. Oliver Gilbert III warned against splitting Rockstar work into several sub-$1 million contracts, and Juan Carlos Bermudez said any future money should go to the sheriff’s office. Keon Hardemon, whose district includes the arena, backed the deal (WLRN, Local 10).
That followed a wider fight. On September 3, Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz and Bermudez opposed a county campaign whose floated ideas included a temporary “Vice City Airport” at MIA, a wrapped Metromover and Vice City manhole covers. The sheriff said the county should “seriously consider the message we send” by promoting a fictional identity built on the crimes her deputies fight (NBC 6). Chief Judge Ariana Fajardo Orshan asked for courthouses to be excluded. The sign is the only signed county deal reported so far; Local 10 says talks on other county properties are under way.
Beyond the county
- Miami Beach commissioners voted 4–3 on September 10 on a deal worth up to about $4 million for subtle Vice City branding on beach chairs and umbrellas through the end of 2026. Reports read the vote differently: GTA BOOM says it only lets the city manager negotiate, while Miami New Times reported it as approving an agreement with Rockstar’s marketing firm, Amplify Marketing, and quoted commissioners saying a deal had been sealed.
- City of Miami commissioners let Rockstar pay for permits for oversized banners on private buildings. Commissioner Christine King said the banners would carry no graphic material (CBS Miami).
Why it matters for players
Fans identify the Kaseya Center as the model for the in-game Sahara Arena, so the real building now carries the fictional city’s name. It reveals nothing new about the game, but CBS Miami expects more GTA VI ads across South Florida before the November 19 launch. More fan-identified real places are on Vice City and real-life locations, and every dated event is on the news timeline.
Pre-order the boxed GTA VI
Amazon sells the boxed Standard Edition: a download code in the box, no disc. Amazon delivers from November 12, the day pre-load opens, and standard delivery can arrive later, so check the date at checkout. The game unlocks November 19.
PS5GTA VI · PS5Standard Edition: a download code in the box, no disc, for US and Canadian PlayStation accounts. Amazon delivers from November 12, with release-day delivery for Prime members; it unlocks November 19.Pre-order on AmazonXbox Series X|SGTA VI · XboxStandard Edition: a download code in the box, no disc. Amazon delivers from November 12, with release-day delivery for Prime members; it unlocks November 19.Pre-order on AmazonPS5GTA VI DualSenseSony's official Grand Theft Auto VI Limited Edition controller in white, out November 19.Pre-order on AmazonAmazon's Pre-order Price Guarantee: "the price we charge when we ship it to you will be the lowest price offered by Amazon.com between the time you placed your order and the end of the day of the release date." Amazon's help page adds that it "does not apply to lower prices offered through any program that requires a customer to join the program to receive the lower price." Amazon's release date for the GTA VI boxes is November 12.
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Background: Vice City in GTA 6
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Welcome to Vice City sign in Miami?
On the roof of the Kaseya Center, the county-owned home of the Miami Heat on the downtown Miami waterfront. CBS Miami reports it can be seen from planes approaching Miami International Airport.
How much did Rockstar pay for the Kaseya Center sign?
Close to $1 million, paid to Miami-Dade County, according to WLRN and Local 10. DesignRush, citing IGN, puts it at about $975,000. Rockstar has not commented.
How long will the Vice City sign stay up?
One year after installation or through the Heat's last 2026–27 home game on April 11, 2027, whichever is later, per county paperwork (reported). That points to about September 2027. A claim that it stays until 2028 is unverified.
Is the Kaseya Center in GTA 6?
Fans identify the Sahara Arena, the waterfront arena seen in Trailer 1 and the Extended Look, as its in-game version. Rockstar has not named real-world models for any location.
What changed on this page
- Noted that outlets read the Miami Beach vote differently: permission to negotiate, or approval of an agreement, and added the Miami New Times report. Led with the close-to-$1-million figure from WLRN and Local 10, and kept DesignRush's $975,000 as the secondary figure.
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