Miami-Dade’s sheriff, Rosie Cordero-Stutz, has publicly opposed plans to transform the city into a real version of Grand Theft Auto 6’s Vice City, as the “fictional world” of the Miami pastiche “includes murder, robbery, drug trafficking, carjacking, violence against law enforcement” and “other conduct” that the police department works “every single day to prevent.”
As originally uncovered by The Miamian (via Rock Paper Shotgun) last week through a public records request, Miami-Dade mayor Daniella Levine Cava pitched a “GTA VI × MDC” collaboration to Rockstar Games in June of this year.
The pitch, available here, outlines several ways in which Miami, described as “the real-world inspiration for Vice City,” could be transformed using “approved GTA VI characters or visual references.” There are some genuinely interesting ideas in here, like the proposed Vice City Motor Fest event, which would “combine classic cars, customized vehicles, lowriders, motorcycles, tropical graphics, and local entertainment within a controlled, family-appropriate setting.”
While a spokesperson on behalf of Miami-Dade’s mayor stated that the GTA VI × MDC collaboration has yet to be “formally agreed to or approved,” Miami-Dade’s sheriff has still challenged the planned marketing deal.
“Grand Theft Auto is a video game franchise built around criminal activity,” stated Sheriff Cordero-Stutz. “Its fictional world includes murder, robbery, drug trafficking, carjacking, violence against law enforcement, and other conduct that the men and women of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office work every single day to prevent.”
As reported by the Miami Herald, Sheriff Cordero-Stutz’s comments were part of a joint statement from her and Miami-Dade Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez, a Republican candidate who is potentially set to oppose Mayor Levine Cava, a Democrat, in 2028.
“Miami-Dade County has spent decades building a reputation as a world-class destination for tourism, business, investment, and opportunity,” stated Bermudez. “We should be promoting the Miami-Dade we have worked so hard to build, not a fictional version of our community defined by crime and violence.”