Sundance is moving and taking tourism with it. Or is it?

SALT LAKE CITY — On Thursday, the Sundance Institute announced the Sundance Film Festival will be moving to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027. 

After 47 years the film festival is leaving its birthplace.

Gov. Spencer Cox said in a statement that while disappointed by Sundance’s decision, he wishes them success in their next chapter. 

The economic impact of Sundance

But where does that leave Utah? The festival has been a huge economic boost for the state.

According to the 2024 Sundance Film Festival Attendance Recap and Economic Report, 141,212 tickets were redeemed at screenings.

About 33% of those tickets belonged to people from out of state. It was also reported that those out-of-state visitors spent about $106.4 million in Utah while visiting for the festival. 

Related: What’s next for Utah film festivals after Sundance?

Further, the festival created $132 million in state GDP, 1,730 jobs for residents, $69.7 million in wages and $13.8 million in state and local tax revenue. 

So, with the relocation of the festival Utah might be facing a big loss of tourism revenue. But local Park City businesses don’t seem to be worried. 

Park City businesses are hopeful

Owner of Park City Passport John Zenes believes winter sports tourism will more that make up for the loss of the festival. 

“You know a lot of locals that we have as clients are probably as excited as I am to see the ski crowds come back for those two weeks,” said Zenes. 

He got a glimpse of what the future might look like for Park City back when Sundance was canceled for COVID, when skiers filled up the hotels instead of moviegoers.

“The first year Sundance was canceled completely, those two weeks of ski crowds were amazing,” Zenes said. “Everything in Park City was 100% sold out.”

Those two weeks of the festival are actually some of the best ski weeks of the year, according to Zenes.

He believes the relocation could be a positive for the local business, especially for those on Main Street that aren’t even open during the festival. 

“If you look at Main Street, it turns into a Hollywood production. Most of the businesses on Main Street aren’t there for Sundance because they wind up renting out their stores to Hollywood elites,” said Zenes. “So I think a lot of businesses will be mildly if not wildly surprised to realize ‘Hey there’s real traffic flow that still happens’ during those two weeks when there’s skiers.”