Grand Theft Auto Deal Funds Downtown Miami Park

Miami-Dade County has secured nearly $1 million from a marketing deal with Rockstar Games to help fund construction of a public park that has been delayed for three decades.

The agreement allows Rockstar Games to advertise Grand Theft Auto VI on the rooftop of the Kaseya Center, home to the Miami Heat. The funds will be applied toward developing Parcel B, an almost three-acre open space behind the arena on Biscayne Boulevard that has remained unfulfilled since the venue's original development agreement in the 1990s.

Christopher Hudtwalcker, chief of staff to Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, presented the arrangement to commissioners, noting that discussions with Commissioner Keon Hardemon led to the decision to allocate the funds for this purpose. Since the arena opened, the space has primarily served as a staging area for arena events rather than the public park initially envisioned.

Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez emphasized that the Miami Heat owners bore responsibility for the unfulfilled commitment, contrasting it with other stadium development issues in South Florida. Materials from 1996 seeking voter approval for the arena deal with the Arison family showed the area designated as parkland with soccer fields, amenities that never materialized.

In July 2025, the county's Appropriations Committee unanimously approved conceptual plans for Dan Paul Plaza, the official name for the redeveloped site. The committee authorized the mayor to pursue grants for reconstruction since county funds were unavailable. The design preserves the west side as paved staging space for arena events while transforming the Biscayne Bay side into public space.

Proposed features include open green spaces, a playground, waterfront promenade, kayak launch, public art installations and expanded viewing areas. The county partnered with the Downtown Neighborhood Alliance to incorporate community preferences into the site's programming.

The location has attracted numerous proposals over the years, including retail stores, an amphitheater planned by Basketball Properties, and a Cuban Exile History Museum. None of these projects advanced to completion.

Hudtwalcker revealed that additional marketing agreements for other county-owned sites to promote Grand Theft Auto VI are currently under negotiation. Commissioners discussed directing future proceeds from such marketing deals to the Sheriff's Office, which has requested funding beyond current budget allocations.

Hardemon acknowledged the complexity of the Parcel B situation, noting progress on a land swap arrangement to activate development. However, he stressed the importance of delivering on the commitment made to residents three decades ago when the Heat arena deal was originally approved.