The Sundance Institute announced Friday, July 19, that Boulder, Colorado, is one of six finalists to host the Sundance Film Festival. The prestigious festival has been held in Park City, Utah, for four decades, but organizers are considering a new location once the festival’s contract with the city is up for renewal in 2027.
Eve Lieberman, the executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, says the festival would bring significant economic benefits to the region.
"We expect over $100 million in annual activity, over 1,500 jobs for Colorado residents, and $63 million in wages," she said.
"It's also a driver for tourists, both domestically and internationally. It's during more of a lower season time for Colorado, and so we expect that it will provide about $50 to $70 million in tourism-related activity that will be an add-on to actual visitors to the Sundance Film Festival."
Lieberman says Colorado already hosts several film festivals and Sundance would add to the current creative landscape in the state.
"We have really been proud to support the film festivals across Colorado with our film office, and we will continue to do that. And what bringing the Sundance film festival to the Boulder region would mean for the film industry and artistic industry, it would only enhance it. It would help drive further activity in the creative space," she said.
"We know that we have so many vibrant artists and filmmakers here in Colorado, and it would just help expand and amplify, enhance their work and put Colorado on the global stage as a creative hub."
Atlanta; Cincinnati, Ohio; Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Louisville, Kentucky, are the other finalists, as well as the festival's current location, Park City, which has submitted a joint bid with Salt Lake City to keep the festival in Utah.
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