Who Wants Sundance? Salt Lake, Boulder, and Cincinnati Make Their Pitch (2025)

Attendees at this year’s Sundance were abuzz about where the festival would choose to relocate in 2027. Is it staying in Utah, but shifting to Salt Lake City? Heading east to Cincinnati, Ohio? Boulder, Colorado? Everyone has a preference, but it’s up to Sundance, not us. However, we decided to hear the same pitches (or, a reasonable facsimile) that will help Sundance make its decision and talk to the people who know those cities best.

IndieWire spoke with film commissioners from each of the three finalist cities. We allowed them, in their own words, to give us their best pitch for their town as the new home for Sundance. From the number of venues to available lodging, affordability, accessibility, and overall vibe, these are the factors that Sundance leadership must weigh before announcing its decision, which is expected to come this spring.

With everything we know now, we don’t envy the choice they have to make.

Salt Lake City

Venues: News flash! There’s an Eccles Theatre and a Main Street in Salt Lake City, Utah, too. Sundance has long presented festival showings in SLC, and there’s a cinephile community with year-round programming via the Salt Lake Film Society’s arthouse Tower Theatre, the Grand Theatre, and downtown’s Broadway Center Theatre. The city could also expand into many other performing arts facilities, theaters, restaurants, and Music Cafe options.

Utah Film Commission director Virginia Pearce, who put in 14 years working for the festival, enjoyed walking the city with her Sundance host committee and seeing it with fresh eyes. “There’s a lot of standalone, big, purpose-built theaters,” she said. “We have the Capitol Theatre, and the Eccles Theatre within a couple of blocks of each other, and the Megaplex at the Gateway. We would be enthusiastic to find locations that meet [Sundance’s] needs.”

Right now, Sundance needs more screens than theater-starved Park City can offer.

Lodging: Salt Lake would expand the scale of available hotels and Airbnbs. These include a range of major hotel chains, like a brand-new Hyatt and the Hotel Monaco, a Kimpton hotel. “We have some beautiful spaces looking out over the mountains from the Valley perspective, such a cool view,” said Pearce, “as well as some independent hotels that could be a great fit. We are a major capital city that hosts large-scale events all the time.”

Salt Lake has the capacity to host not only the Olympic Games (in 2002 and again, in 2034) but regular play for their national sports teams the Utah Jazz (NBA), the Utah Hockey Club (NHL), Real Salt Lake (MLS), and the Utah Royals (NWSL).

Affordability: The popularity of Sundance saw Park City prices skyrocket for housing, dining, and parking near the ski resorts in Park City and Deer Valley. It became a problem for Sundance attendees as well as the festival, which must bring host filmmakers and local staff. In recent years, Park City seemed less welcoming. “It’s a tough road for the city to handle,” said Pearce. “It’s been tough for festivalgoers and the festival itself. It has been a challenge on both sides.”

Move the festival to Salt Lake, with Park City as a special opening- or closing-weekend location, and costs plummet. “Park City is a small, small town,” said Pearce. “Salt Lake and Park City got together and came up with some innovative ideas about how to create a new experience that expands the festival footprint to Salt Lake. There are more hotel rooms, more venues, more restaurants. It’s a larger city, and so those costs would be negotiable in a much broader way. The pitch we made is keeping some things in Park City, just because it’s got that feel that people love, but growing a lot more in Salt Lake. It’s up to Sundance to think about what would fit best with their programming needs.”

Sponsor Opportunities: Upscale Park City and Deer Valley would remain a lure for sponsors who want to entertain clients in ski resorts. Salt Lake City offers “all of the things you get with a big city,” said Pearce, “but you can also be skiing at six or seven resorts within 30 to 45 minutes. So I don’t think much would change.”

Pearce expects University of Utah Health would remain a loyal supporter as well as longtime sponsor Adobe, which has a significant presence in SLC’s tech center, Silicon Slopes.“Tech would be a great area to expand into,” she said.

Airport Access: SLC is a Delta Airlines hub with a still-new airport and direct flights from most major cities, including Atlanta, New York, and Minneapolis, plus super-cheap fares from Los Angeles. The airport is four miles from downtown and 45 minutes from Park City.

Local Vibe: Salt Lake has grown into a sophisticated urban sprawl with a vibrant downtown, thriving art scene, and bustling nightlife with street vendors and musicians. “You can be in the outdoors, skiing, and hiking and biking in 15-20 minutes,” said Pearce. “It’s easy to get in and out, it makes a great space for creative and business people alike.”

Skiing is way off-site in several locations, including Park City. Salt Lake’s an enormous city, after all; it accommodated the Winter Olympics in 2002.

“The most fun of this process is getting all of the partners together,” said Pearce, “like the Downtown Alliance and the Chamber of Commerce, and thinking about how could we host a big festival down here? They obviously host giant events like the NBA All-Star Game all the time.”

Bottom Line: According to Utah’s economic impact report, in 2024 the Sundance Film Festival generated some $132 million in gross domestic product for Utah, plus 1,730 jobs, $69.7 million in Utah wages, and $13.8 million in state and local tax revenue.

“Sundance belongs in Utah,” said Pearce. “It’s been here 40 years. I have personal history with them. Two other members on our host committee were former managing directors. It’s hard to go anywhere in Salt Lake without hitting someone who has worked for Sundance. Everyone has a place in their heart for the festival in Utah. A lot of people just can’t imagine it being anywhere else.”

From the start, Utah has supported the festival financially at the state, county, and city levels. “Both cities, Salt Lake and Park City, have been supporting financially since the beginning,” said Pearce. “The legislature has been supportive and allocated $3.5 million to Sundance.” If Sundance stays in Utah, the legislature would negotiate a 10-year contract.

Yes, but: There’s one serious rub. The Republican Governor of Utah, Spencer Cox, currently has on his desk a bill (HB77) passed by the Utah legislature that would ban the flying of certain flags in all schools and government buildings, including the LGBTQ pride flag.

“Bye Felicia,” Senator Dan McCay, the sponsor of the flag ban bill, posted on social media. “Sundance promotes porn. Sundance promotes alternative lifestyles. Sundance promotes anti-lds themes. Sundance does not fit in Utah anymore.”

LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Utah and the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah have urged the governor to veto the bill. Cox hasuntil March 27to sign it, and has been hedging.Clearly, while he wants the festival to bring revenues to the state, he has not thought through all the ramifications of signing or vetoing the bill. “No, I won’t veto that bill,” he told reporters. “At least I don’t think I will. I don’t know. Maybe I will. I don’t know.”

Back in January, Cox sang a pro-Sundance tune at his monthly PBS Utah news conference: “Sundance is Utah, and Utah is Sundance,” he said. “You can’t really separate those two. So we’re really hopeful that we can provide the type of package … to keep Sundance here.”

If Cox signs the flag ban bill, it would represent a hostile environment for the notably inclusive Sundance in Utah and the festival would have reason to go elsewhere. For now, Sundance is keeping mum. “Yes, HB77 could contribute to Sundance’s decision to leave Utah,” Troy Williams, executive director of Equality Utah, posted on X. “Please … veto this bill.”

“Once we have Sundance’s decision,” said Pearce, “it will be an easier conversation to have about the future.”

Cincinnati

Venues: Cincinnati wants to host Sundance in its Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Once a German working-class neighborhood, it’s now one of the hipper spots in town. The neighborhood’s Washington Park is flanked by several historic theaters that would become Sundance venues, including nine walkable spots within a radius of a few blocks. These include the Cincinnati Music Hall, Memorial Hall OTR, and the Woodward Theater, all accessible via a free streetcar that traverses Over-the-Rhine.

There are 30 venues within three miles of the proposed festival footprint, including an AMC multiplex on the other side of the Ohio River that would leave room to grow. Some will require larger screens, but Kristen Schlotman, Film Commissioner of Cincinnati, says the houses vary in size to offer diverse options for Sundance’s screenings.

Lodging: In addition to a healthy mix of hotels and Airbnbs across the city, most major hotels are within a 15-20 minute drive from the airport. Nearby University of Cincinnati also offers a number of lodging amenities and with three major sports teams, it’s equipped for tourism. Schlotman added that at least eight new hotels are being built over the next two years.

“Cincinnati truly is on the precipice of some great change and growth, and doing that with a partner that’s also on the precipice of great change and evolution … is a really exciting time for both,” Schlotman said.

Affordability: Because it’s not a traditional college or resort town, Schlotman believes Cincinnati has more affordable options for attendees. She also promises that the Film Office is working with the tourism board to make sure “rates aren’t gouged.” She also points to filmmakers like Todd Haynes, Alexander Payne, David Lowery, Yorgos Lanthimos, Kelly Reichardt, Jennifer Kent, and George Clooney, who have all shot films in the city. Cincinnati worked hard to convince filmmakers to shoot there; wooing Sundance will be about convincing people of the “quality of life” Cincinnati has to offer.

Sponsor Opportunities: Once the home to many Fortune 500 companies, some of Cincinnati’s major events that have attracted other buzzy sponsors include BLINK, a street art, light-installation, and projection mapping festival; and AFCI, the Association of Film Commissioners International, which will bring its 50th anniversary to Cincy in 2025. The University of Cincinnati also has a School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies that, in theory, could partner.

Airport Access: A 15-minute drive from the festival footprint is a major plus. That said… it would be a stretch to describe the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) as a major consumer hub. (CVG handled 9.2 million passengers in 2024; SLC handled 28.4 million.) It’s a cargo hub for Amazon and DHL, and an operating base for low-cost airlines Allegiant, Endeavor, and Frontier. Schlotman says the city is securing letters of intent from various carriers to increase air traffic for Sundance, much as it did when Cincinnati was in the Super Bowl in Los Angeles. For now, however, Delta has a nonstop flight in both the morning and as a redeye, and Allegiant offers two weekly nonstops between CVG and LAX in the spring and summer.

Local Vibe: Cincinnati is not a cozy mountain town, but Schlotman believes that Race Street in Over-the-Rhine has enough independent shops, restaurants, and bars to capture the vibe of Main Street. Schlotman emphasizes its walkability, green space, and natural beauty.

“Look, I can’t build mountains in Cincinnati, but I can certainly understand that it’s important to be connected to nature, to community, and to nurture the individual storyteller,” Schlotman said. “As long as we’re reflecting that, I think that’s what we can do.”

Bottom Line: Cincinnati’s biggest challenge remains perception. (One Sundance attendee told IndieWire they didn’t like the idea of eating at The Cheesecake Factory after a world premiere, to which Schlotman said, “Ohio is not one big strip mall.”) She said Cincinnati offers the largest fundraising entity for the arts in the country. Some of the city’s champions, like producer Christine Vachon, have made the case to the film community that Cincinnati has as much of an artistic presence as anywhere.

“I don’t know that people realize that Cincinnati has long been a place for discovery and innovation, and we’ve been investing in the arts and nurturing artists — individual artists and the film industry — for a long, long time,” Schlotman said. “I think that might surprise people. People might not know the importance of the arts to a city like ours.”

The current mayor for Cincinnati is a Democrat, but JD Vance’s half-brother Cory Bowman, a Republican, is running for the mayor seat. Schlotman couldn’t comment on the incentive the city is offering, but a local report suggested that Cincinnati has already approved $2.5 million for Sundance upfront, with an additional $2.5 million (bringing it to $5 million) if it is selected as the host city.

Boulder

Venues: Right off Boulder’s Pearl Street, a four-block pedestrian mall that spans from 11th to 15th street, is the century-old, 850-seat Boulder Theater. From there, it’s a mile and a half to the 16-screen Cinemark Century Boulder, offering four times as many screens as Park City’s annual venue Holiday Village, which is itself about the same distance from Park City’s Main Street corridor.

Other Boulder venues include the beloved and beautiful Macky Auditorium, a concert hall that seats more than 2,000 and could become the city’s version of the Eccles for big-ticket premieres. The Dairy Arts Center, a 20-minute walk from Pearl Street (which hosts many of Boulder’s hotels), seats 500. There are various screening spaces at the University of Colorado Boulder, whose own robust film program, which offers training in cinema studies and filmmaking, could provide an ample student volunteer body as well as other partnership opportunities.

As Visit Boulder CEO Charlene Hoffman said, “There is also a new arts and events center already in the works as part of a 1-million-plus-square-foot, mixed-use residential and arts district, as well as discussions to winterize Chautauqua Auditorium if awarded the bid.”

Added Colorado Film Commissioner Donald Zuckerman, “We’re in the Mountain West, and this town has a lot of history with the Redfords. Why wouldn’t Sundance want to be in the Mountain West? People identify Sundance with that. We have wonderful proximity to the university. We’ve had conversations with the Sundance hierarchy and they’re thrilled at the idea of working with kids who study at the university.

“These kids can work at Sundance and meet the filmmakers,” he said. “Right now, it’s too expensive to go to Park City. Kids can’t do it. Young filmmakers can’t do it. There’s been talk that they’ve outgrown Utah. We believe that’s true, and we believe we can offer everything they’ve got that was positive and more. More reasonable prices. Walking distance between venues. Great weather, don’t forget that. We have cold snaps here and there, but it snows here and melts the next day.”

Lodging: Boulder offers a share of both luxury and economy hotel options, including the Limelight Boulder hotel opening this August, with 252 guest rooms and 26,000 feet of event space — including a first-for-downtown-Boulder conference center that could host festival panels. The Moxy Boulder, located near the Macky Auditorium, also opened in 2024. The downtown St. Julien Hotel & Spa brings a luxury option.

Affordability: Anyone who’s visited Park City in peak season, whether for skiing or Sundance or both, has experienced rate-gouging. Boulder, which is not a ski town, typically sees a dip in tourism in the early winter months (January and February). That suggests the city has the infrastructure and readiness to welcome something like the 72,000 attendees Sundance saw in 2024 (spread out, of course, across its 10 days, but with most coming for the first weekend).

“We collaborated with our local lodging partners to secure stable hotel pricing for the Festival over the proposed 10-year period, safeguarding attendees from price surges,” Hoffman said. “Our home-sharing program offers structured pricing tiers and incentives to enhance affordability and accessibility. And our downtown business community is committed to demonstrating to Sundance that they prioritize a long-term partnership over short-term profits.”

Sponsor Opportunities: Boulder’s rugged surrounding terrain and hiking culture could lure outdoor recreation sponsors, while Google offices on Pearl Street provide an opportunity for partnership with the tech giant.

“The entire Colorado Rocky Mountain wilderness sits at Boulder’s doorstep, and our luxury tour operators routinely provide customized outdoor experiences designed for travelers seeking to experience adventure in comfort,” Hoffman said. “As one of the wellness capitals of the West, it’s also a place where attendees can embrace unique relaxation, nourishment and rejuvenation experiences. Exceptional art, Michelin-star dining, and the ‘Rodeo Drive of outdoor apparel shopping’ on Pearl Street round out Boulder’s offerings.”

Airport Access: Boulder is about a 45-minute drive from Denver International Airport, the third-largest international airport in the United States. That’s on par with the schlep from Salt Lake City’s airport to Park City. The Denver airport services nonstop flights from Los Angeles and New York and is a hub for international flights coming into and out of the United States.

Local Vibe: With sunshine most days of the year and gentler winters, the walkable and wood-nestled Boulder has public transportation that circulates around town year-round in part due to the university population. “Pearl Street is a walker’s paradise right in the heart of town filled with stores and restaurants that are primarily one of a kind, they’re not chains, and it’s wide and roomy and closed to traffic,” Zuckerman said. Plus, there’s nearby skiing in Breckenridge, Aspen, and Vail.

“Producers and financiers are going to come to Colorado and say, ‘Why don’t we think about making a movie here?’ We’ve been very light on incentives compared to neighboring states, and that’s starting to change,” he added. Zuckerman said that a well-known Hollywood producer plans to move his production company to Boulder this spring.

Another incentive: Recreational marijuana is legal for those 21 and over in Colorado. The state also doesn’t have Utah’s alcohol laws — some of the strictest volume limits in the country.

Bottom Line: Governor Jared Polis is the first non-incumbent openly gay man elected to Congress, and the decidedly blue Colorado doesn’t carry Utah’s baggage of hostility given its current anti-LGBTQ legislation on the table. Ohio trends toward the GOP; it will inaugurate its next governor in January 2027, weeks before the Sundance Film Festival. Sundance is celebrated as a festival of diverse viewpoints, and whatever political backdrop the event heads into, the festival will want to take that into consideration.

“We are a blue state. We will remain a blue state,” Zuckerman said. “We don’t believe in censorship. We don’t have a book-banning law on the books. We don’t have anti-trans bathroom law on the books. We are one of only two state legislatures in the country that have a gay person in the legislature [trans Colorado representative Brianna Titone]. We’re a perfect home for anybody who wants to come here. They will not be treated poorly ever or with anything but respect.”

In terms of incentives, Boulder is less competitive than Salt Lake but offers robust cash for Sundance’s relocation. The Colorado Economic Development Commission approved a one-time $1.5 million incentive to support Sundance’s move to Boulder, with other contributions from the city and regional partners. The Colorado Office of Film Television and Media, meanwhile, has committed to $250,000 over five years.