Jacksonville Deserves to be the Setting of Grand Theft Auto VI

Jacksonville has been rumored as one of the locations in which GTA 6 will be played in whenever Rockstar Games releases the next chapter of Grand Theft Auto. This petition is to show the support for Jacksonville that people can get behind the city as the setting for an amazing video game series.

Continual Growth

Jacksonville, Florida has grown tremendously over the years, especially with the arrival of Shahid Khan as the new Jacksonville Jaguars owner in 2012. Khan has created a vision for Jacksonville which many people hope he succeeds in creating to establish the city as more than just the first city people come across as they enter the Sunshine State. Jacksonville already has an international presence in England with the Jaguars playing a game in London for the past four years. Everbank Field hosts the largest scoreboards in the WORLD which makes it a prime landmark for innovations of crime. Jacksonville is the largest city by area which garners the possibility of an even BIGGER gameplay area than what was conjured up by GTA 5.

Overlooked No Longer

Jacksonville as a city as been overlooked compared to other cities in Florida for far too long. When one thinks of Florida, he or she immediately thinks of Orlando the center of theme parks or Miami with its beautiful beaches, but never Jacksonville. Even with the recent rumor mill concerning the possible locations of GTA 6, Jacksonville is being glossed over for more well-known locations such as London and Rio De Janeiro. If Jacksonville is chosen as the setting for GTA 6, Duval County will not play third- or fourth-fiddle to the other cities in Florida. 

Complaints about Jacksonville

Jacksonville has been criticized as not having many reputable landmarks as other locations such as London and San Diego. But with a bit of delving into information about Jacksonville, one learns about the aforementioned Everbank Field, Friendship Fountain, Memorial Park, School Number Four, and Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena which serve as an example of the many landmarks that could be revised for GTA 6. Rockstar Games has a plethora of history that the company could use as inspiration such as the Great Fire of 1901, being formerly known as the Winter Film Capital of the World, or the main reason the rumors about Jacksonville has arisen, being the murder capital of Florida. Jacksonville's infrastructure, including the EIGHT (eight!) bridges, could create such an amazing spur of creativity for GTA 6. 

Lasting Thoughts to Rockstar Games

Rockstar Games broke world records with the release of GTA 5 including "Fastest Entertainment Property to gross $1 billion" and "Highest Grossing video game in 24 hours" (source), what better way to destroy those records and countless more by using Jacksonville as your mainstay? The largest city by population and land area? Jacksonville has the newness factor that cities such as London and Rio De Janeiro can not obtain as being the setting of numerous other intellectual properties. Jacksonville is the only city rumored that has the ability to allow the gamer to fully immerse himself or herself into the game because of Jacksonville's lack of popularity compared to other cities. The more curious gamers could learn more about these landmarks which would then be associated with Jacksonville. Rockstar Games can use their creative juices to empower the landscape of Jacksonville to create the best video game out of GTA 6 because Jacksonville has rarely been used as a setting. Everyone knows the track record of Rockstar Games and they will not disappoint with Jacksonville in their hands.

Lasting Thoughts to DUUUUUUVALLLL

I believe Jacksonville has continued to grow as an amazing city that we can all eventually take pride in. I know being the setting of a video game may not be the most enticing idea to clamor for, but the fact that JACKSONVILLE was even being rumored to be in the play for GTA 6 is a huge accomplishment for the city. We are not a small town by any means, but the national exposure that we have been generating, with a huge thank you to the Jacksonville Jaguars organization, our city could finally get the respect that we have craved for ever since. For so long the Jaguars have been scrutinized as a loser team by medias and only now are we getting acclaim for our team. For so long our city has been an afterthought to other "touristy" attractions in Florida. If we do not win "the bid" for GTA 6, sure we will not technically lose anything. But if we do win, our city gets broadcasted to millions of screens across the world with the subconscious knowledge that the city they are looking at is a glamorous representation of Jacksonville. The other cities rumored are already established and have been used so many times, we need to show that there's a new spectacular city in the world and that is Jacksonville, Florida.