Miami-Dade: Rockstar is paying close to $1 million for the GTA VI sign at the Kaseya Center

Rockstar Games is paying close to $1 million for the "Welcome to Vice City" GTA VI sign at Miami's Kaseya Center. Miami-Dade County officials disclosed the figure at the county's second budget hearing, which ran into the early hours of Friday morning, according to GTAVice.net and iGrandTheftAuto, citing Local 10 and the county's public hearing records.

The county owns the arena, home of the Miami Heat. At the hearing, commissioners learned that Mayor Daniella Levine Cava had signed an agreement allowing Rockstar to install the promotion there.

Asked what the deal is worth, the mayor's chief of staff, Christopher Hudtwalcker, told commissioners that Rockstar is paying "close to $1 million." He also said talks are under way about more GTA VI advertising on other county properties, and called the game's launch "the biggest cultural phenomena of the year."

Not every commissioner was simply pleased with the money. Commission chairman Anthony Rodriguez asked for more information about the agreement, and the board discussed how revenue from similar deals could be used by the county.

Opinions on the game itself differed. Vice chairman Kionne McGhee said he lets his 6-year-old daughter play Grand Theft Auto under supervision, adding: "My daughter, driving the car, she stops at the traffic light." Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez raised concerns about how the game depicts crime and said: "If there is any money in the future, that money should go to the sheriff's office."

The figure comes from county officials speaking at a public hearing.

The sign is being prepared for the arena's roof as part of Rockstar's real-world marketing for the game. On Tuesday, GTAVice.net and iGrandTheftAuto reported its design, weight and the plan to install it by helicopter, based on official Miami-Dade planning documents.

The mayor's office has agreed to give commissioners more details on the Rockstar agreement before a future meeting.