Miami turns into Vice City from 15 October: beach chairs, banners, the Dolphins and a Goodyear blimp

Two city permits start on 15 October, a lettered blimp is flying from Ohio to Florida and the game is already on show at the Dolphins' stadium. Plus the $150 million figure, explained.

Until now the Grand Theft Auto VI campaign in Miami was mostly paperwork: votes, contracts and a sign on a roof. This week it reaches the street, the beach and the sky.

What starts on 15 October

Two measures approved by the city councils coincide that day, as detailed by GTA BOOM:

• Miami Beach. The agreement begins that allows "discreet" Vice City and VI branding on beachfront concession equipment: chairs and umbrellas. It is the campaign the commission approved by 4 votes to 3.
• City of Miami. An ordinance allows temporary promotional banners in a defined downtown area, with rules on size and fees, a cap of 56 consecutive days and an end date no later than 31 December.

They join what was already there: the "Welcome to Vice City" sign on the Kaseya Center, for which Rockstar pays $975,000, and the 18 November game in which the Heat will play as "Vice City".

A Goodyear blimp with "Vice City" on its side

Blimp enthusiasts spotted it before anyone else. Members of a Goodyear fan group on Facebook photographed Wingfoot Three (registration N3A), one of the brand's three airships in the United States, with "VICE CITY" on its sides and the GTA VI logo underneath. RockstarINTEL reports it and reproduces the photos.

According to that outlet, the airship lifted off from its hangar in Akron, Ohio, bound for Pompano Beach, Florida, where Goodyear has a base. Neither Goodyear nor Rockstar has announced it, which is why the photo above shows the same blimp in its regular colours.

There is some series history here: GTA V's Atomic Blimp, inspired by Goodyear's, was a pre-order bonus in 2013, and a blimp could already be seen over the city in the first GTA VI trailer.

The Dolphins too

On Sunday 11 October, GTA VI appeared at Hard Rock Stadium during the Miami Dolphins game. CBS News Miami shows photos of an "I love Vice City" sign with the game's cover art on a walkway, and the logo next to the jumbotron alongside the protagonists. The station notes that the team has its in-game counterpart: the Vice City Manatees.

The $150 million figure, with caution

A claim is doing the rounds that Rockstar will spend $150 million on promotion. It is worth knowing where it comes from. VGTimes presents it as a campaign Miami-Dade County is said to be discussing, with a decision expected on 20 October; other outlets describe it as a preliminary estimate of the total marketing budget, attributed to a county commissioner. The two versions do not match, and neither comes from Rockstar or Take-Two.

What is documented is far less: the $975,000 for the sign and the roughly $3 million Miami Beach put on the table. And the county is exactly where resistance has been strongest, as we covered in the clash with Miami-Dade police.

What comes next

The rest of the calendar is on our launch week page (in Spanish).

Frequently asked questions

What happens with GTA 6 on 15 October?

It is not a trailer or a game announcement. Two advertising permits begin in Miami that day: Vice City branding on Miami Beach chairs and umbrellas, and banners in the city centre.

Is there a GTA 6 blimp?

Enthusiasts have photographed Goodyear's Wingfoot Three with "Vice City" and the GTA VI logo, and according to RockstarINTEL it is flying from Ohio to Florida. Neither Goodyear nor Rockstar has announced it.

How much is Rockstar spending on the Miami campaign?

What is documented is $975,000 for the Kaseya Center sign. The $150 million figure in circulation does not come from Rockstar and is unconfirmed.