GTA 6 has taken over Miami’s Kaseya Center in the latest marketing stunt for Rockstar’s behemoth open-world sequel, which is set in a fictionalised Florida. The stunt aims to highlight how close the studio’s open world, filled with extravagant detail and iconic landmarks, is to the real deal.
The lights on the top of the Kaseya Center read “Welcome to Vice City” and the roman numerals for six: “VI.” The same building can be seen in the latest batch of GTA 6 screenshots, published by Game Informer and analysed by IGN here.
In the video game, the building is called the Sahara Arena, but it’s located in the same area of Miami and flanked by the same ferris wheel. The stunt, which fans noticed being installed in late September, reportedly cost Rockstar close to $1 million.
Rockstar had been negotiating the terms of a marketing takeover in Miami for months with Miami-Dade County officials. Initial plans considered transforming the airport, creating drone shows, and even taking over beaches.
Local commissioners voted 4-3 to approve these negotiations, following pushback from officials such as Miami Beach Commissioner David Suarez. Suarez showed footage from the GTA 6 extended look and argued that the game doesn’t reflect local values.
Commissioner Monica Matteo-Salinas argued strongly in favor of the game, saying, “This is a win for gamers and gaming nerds such as myself.”
The Kaseya Center is a multi-purpose arena on Biscayne Bay in Miami, Florida. The arena is home to the NBA’s Miami Heat and now a glowing sign promoting GTA 6, which releases for PS5 and Xbox Series consoles on November 19.
We’ve got extensive coverage of GTA 6 across IGN. Check out IGN’s interview with Rockstar Games, our GTA 6 preview, and word of the first confirmed GTA 6 voice actor.