Axios Miami

September 17, 2026
Happy Thursday!
🌧️ Today's weather: Showers and thunderstorms likely, with a high of 88 and a low of 80.
🐌 Sounds like: "Full Control" by Snail Mail, who's playing Lincoln's Beard Oct. 17 with Soccer Mommy.
Today's newsletter is 1,060 words — a 4-minute read.
1 big thing: Decades-old "Vice" debate
The 1980s TV show "Miami Vice" is credited with helping "save South Beach," but at the time, some civic leaders were worried the cop show would publicize Miami's crime problems.
Why it matters: "Grand Theft Auto VI," an upcoming video game set in a fictionalized Miami called Vice City, is reviving the old debate about whether to embrace the city's gritty media portrayal.
Driving the news: The company behind "GTA" wants to market the game across Miami-Dade County but has faced pushback from police leaders and some politicians who say local governments should not associate with a violent game that encourages players to kill cops.
- Despite the criticism, commissioners in Miami and Miami Beach have supported plans to advertise the video game on private buildings and public beaches, respectively.
- Supporters argue that it makes sense to profit from the game's popularity without endorsing its content.
- Miami could receive $1 million, one commissioner says. Miami Beach could get up to $4 million, according to Miami New Times.
- Miami-Dade County has also been in talks with the video game maker about marketing "GTA" at county properties like Miami International Airport.
Yes, but: The city of Miami asked "GTA" to remove "Vice City" from its advertising banners, a nickname city leaders said they dislike.
- Meanwhile, a giant "Vice City" sign is proposed for the roof of the county-owned Kaseya Center, journalist Francisco Alvarado reports. The Miami Heat, who play at the arena, famously have "Vice" jerseys.
Flashback: A similar controversy played out when "Miami Vice" began production.
- Concerned elected leaders asked producer Michael Mann to remove "vice" from the title, the Miami Herald reported.

What they're saying: In the '80s, the city was grappling with the Mariel boatlift, the McDuffie riots, contract killings and rogue police — "the worst of times," as Miami historian Paul George described it to Axios.
- Leaders were afraid "Vice" would glamorize the "bad things," George says.
- "As it turns out, it glamorized the whole area. I think it gave people some sort of weird sense of pride in the place."
- The show drove tourism to Miami Beach and shone an international spotlight on South Beach's historic Art Deco District, the Miami River and neighborhoods like Little Havana, the Herald reported.
What they're saying: George says he understands the police criticism against Miami's involvement with "GTA," especially if the game depicts the city in a more cartoonish light than "Miami Vice."
- "I think what it's gonna do is draw additional attention to Miami," he said. "The big question is, negative or positive? In the hands of young people, it's probably going to be positive."
2. ✔ UM's new partner
The University of Miami and Nike agreed to a 10-year contract worth more than $20 million annually, multiple outlets reported.
Why it matters: It's one of the largest apparel deals in college sports history and reignites a decades-long partnership between the two.
- UM first signed with Nike in 1987, making it the first school to sign with a retailer that would provide apparel for all sports, per the Palm Beach Post.
Between the lines: After that initial 28-year agreement, the university in 2015 signed a 12-year deal with Adidas for more than $90 million, according to ESPN.
- The Adidas contract is set to expire in June.
Follow the money: UM will receive slightly more than $13 million annually from Nike, or two-thirds of the annual outlay, while the rest will be in apparel, the Miami Herald reported.
- Adidas paid the school $6.5 million annually, though that didn't include apparel and footwear, per the outlet.
Zoom in: The university is expected to use the extra cash for athletic department costs and name, image and likeness (NIL) allocations, the Herald reported. It could also use it for a potential on-campus football office building.
Yes, but: Adidas will still be repping some of UM's players after signing a NIL deal with receiver Malachi Toney, who can wear the brand's apparel on campus but not during games.
3. Cafecito: Early-AM bus routes saved
🚌 Mayor Daniella Levine Cava is proposing to save early-morning bus routes in the latest update to the county budget scheduled for a vote Thursday. (Miami Herald)
- She also urged commissioners to consider a 50-cent increase to the transit fare to fund late-night bus service.
🤖 Miami-based Freebee has merged with Orlando-based autonomous mobility company Beep, with a goal of introducing self-driving microtransit services.
🙌 UM named Grammy-winning music producer and industry exec Matt Serletic as dean of the Frost School of Music.
4. 🤑 Sunshine state billionaires
Forty-nine of the Forbes' 400 Richest People in America live in Florida.
The big picture: The top 400 people are worth $8 trillion, up from $6.6 trillion a year ago — a jump that underscores the growing wealth gap among Americans.
- In cities like Miami, where billionaires have flocked, the question about who gets to stay and shape the city's future has come into sharp focus.
Zoom in: Miami residents Jeff Bezos (No. 2), Ken Griffin (No. 20) and Stephen Ross (56) landed within the list's top 100.
- Micky Arison, chairman of Carnival Corp. and owner of the Miami Heat, ranks No. 132.
- Peter Cancro, Jersey Mike's founder and Indian Creek Island resident, ranks No. 269.
Meanwhile, President Trump, whose permanent residence remains in Florida despite living in the White House, ranks No. 245 with a net worth of $7 billion.
The intrigue: Mark Zuckerberg (No. 6) recently purchased a home on Indian Creek, but the ranking does not list him as a Florida resident.
5. 👀 How much Floridians tip

Florida tippers leave around 18% on average, according to new Toast data shared first with Axios.
By the numbers: Nationwide, diners tipped roughly 19% on average across all restaurant types in Q2 2026, per Toast's latest tipping trends report.
Zoom in: Delaware, West Virginia and New Hampshire are still home to the nation's top tippers.
The fine print: Cash tips aren't included. The report is based on data from restaurants using the Toast platform.
🤫 Martin is finally watching "Silo."
😅 Sommer is exhausted.
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This newsletter was edited by Jeff Weiner.
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