Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez and Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz Call on Miami-Dade County to Reject Use of County Resources to Promote Grand Theft Auto VI

Miami-Dade County Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez and Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz strongly oppose reports that the Office of the Mayor is exploring a partnership with Rockstar Games for the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, including the reported possibility of temporarily rebranding Miami International Airport as “Vice City Airport.”

Commissioner Bermudez said the issue is not whether Grand Theft Auto VI will generate global attention for Miami-Dade County; it undoubtedly will. The question is whether the County should use its public resources, facilities, and globally recognized brand to promote a fictional depiction of Miami centered on crime, violence, and lawlessness.

“I still cannot believe that we are even considering temporarily rebranding important County assets, including Miami International Airport, as ‘Vice City Airport.’ Miami-Dade County has spent decades building a reputation as a world-class destination for tourism, business, investment, and opportunity. 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.” Bermudez said. Additionally, Commissioner Bermudez calls for transparency regarding any discussions between Miami-Dade County and Rockstar Games and urges the administration to clearly identify the public benefit, costs, and use of County resources associated with any proposed partnership.

Sheriff Cordero-Stutz said, “Grand Theft Auto is a video game franchise built around criminal activity. 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.

At a time when law enforcement is working every day to reduce violent crime, prevent robberies and car thefts, combat drug trafficking, and build stronger relationships between our deputies and the communities we serve, I believe we need to seriously consider the message we send when our own government promotes a fictional identity centered around many of those same crimes.”

Miami-Dade County is not Vice City.