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SALT LAKE CITY — The Sundance Institute announced that Utah's split bid for the annual film festival, which would take place in Park City and Salt Lake City, is one of three left in the selection process for festival host beginning in 2027.
Boulder, Colorado and Cincinnati, Ohio are the other two locations selected for the final round of consideration. Atlanta, Louisville, and Santa Fe, New Mexico — cities that were named as finalists earlier in the summer — are no longer in the running.
"We see great promise and potential in Boulder, Cincinnati, and Salt Lake/Park City," Eugene Hernandez, festival director and head of public programming, said in a statement. "Each has shown us the blend of exciting possibilities, values and logistics needed to produce a vibrant, inviting and inclusive festival."
A final decision is expected to come down sometime after the next festival, which wraps Feb. 2, 2025.
The timing comes on the heels of an arts report commissioned by Summit County, conducted by the Washington, D.C.-based lobbyists Americans for the Arts, which revealed that the relatively small county was punching way above its weight in arts spending.
With only around 42,000 residents, the report found $176,888,822 in economic activity, including Sundance, representing 17% of the total arts industry spend in Utah. The driving force, the report said, was the almost 60% attendance rate accounted for by nonlocal visitors.
In comparison, the same firm found that Boulder, with a population of about 100,000, currently sees $115,129,233 in economic activity related to the arts.
Yet, with concerns about how large the annual festival has gotten for a small community like Park City, Utah's plan to retain the event would split it between Park City and Salt Lake City. The plan would pair the only two homes the festival has ever had since it debuted in Salt Lake City in 1978 as the Utah/United States Film Festival.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall confirmed Thursday that Salt Lake City could become the primary host with simultaneous events in Park City, should Utah continue to host the event. Park City is currently required to hold at least 70% of the events, though several events are now held in Salt Lake City every winter.
The exact balance between the two cities hasn't been finalized and would be sorted out by 2027.
State and local officials recently provided a tour of possible new Salt Lake City facilities that could host screenings. These include the media education nonprofit Spy Hop's headquarters and the Sorenson Multi-Cultural Center Black Box Theater on the west side, which could make it easier for students or marginalized communities to enjoy the festival.
"We are so thrilled. The place for Sundance is the state of Utah," she said. "What we're offering is a new friendship, a new friendship between Salt Lake City and Sundance that hasn't quite existed in the past — in a bigger way."
The mayor added the city is no longer what it was when the festival began, as its population has grown by nearly 30% since the festival moved to Park City. She pointed to forthcoming projects like a downtown revitalization zone, Main Street promenade and Green Loop as examples of how the city is still growing and offering ways to handle future Sundance crowds.
Utah Transit Authority is also poised to expand downtown TRAX service through its planned fourth light-rail line.
Mendenhall, Park City Mayor Nann Worel and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson issued a joint statement earlier Thursday, saying that they remain "proud" of their bid.
"Each step brings us closer as a bid team in continuing our journey with Sundance. We are eager to forge an even stronger bond to inspire artists and elevate the festival experience," they said. "With our extensive event infrastructure, world-class venues and warm hospitality, we're ready to help Sundance shine on the global stage."
However, Utah's other competitors also feel good about their chances.
Cincinnati, a kind of dark horse in the race, has a lot to offer the festival, according to Allyson West, the founder of Cindependent Film Festival.
"I think we have the best chance, quite frankly," West said. Sundance has cited an emphasis on accessibility, which pairs well with the walkable city, the transit system and supporting businesses and theaters in the area. West argues that while Park City is somewhat exclusive, Cincinnati offers a bottom-to-top participation model.
She said tickets to the independent festival have seen higher demand, just with the buzz around the Sundance conversation in town.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis called Boulder "the next natural home" to the Sundance Film Festival in a statement, and said it "would perfectly complement the work and creative activity already happening here in Colorado."
