PARK CITY, Utah — Utah has made the latest cut to retain the Sundance Film Festival, after being announced on Thursday as one of three future hosts finalists for the famed film festival.
Joining Salt Lake City and Park City as finalists are Boulder, Colorado and Cincinnati.
In July, the festival announced six host city finalists. That included the final three, as well as Louisville, Atlanta and Sante Fe, New Mexico.
Earlier this year, the festival announced it would consider leaving the Beehive State after four decades, when its current deal ends in 2026.
The festival has a long-running history at the Egyptian Theatre.
"In '81, the festival was moved to Park City and that was when the Egyptian was recently refurbished, so we found a new home for Sundance," said Jenn Silva, Director of Operations for the Egyptian Theatre.
Silva says Sundance rents the building.
"It helped put this theater on the map that marquee is the most photographed marquee during that one week of the year," said Silva.
While she says the venue is thriving independently, that wasn't always the case.
"Sundance really helped us get ourselves out there, get ourselves known as this theater as the Egyptian theater, we couldn't have done it without them," said Silva.
Monty Coates, the Co-Owner of Southwestern Expressions opened up shop along Park City's Main Street in 1987.
"It helps a lot of businesses and, and it's, it's really good for our, our restaurant community and our, and our, our lodging community," said Coates.
Coates says his business specializes in unique items with a mountain theme.
During the Sundance Film Festival, he says they usually see business pick up during the second weekend.
"Then we kind of get the film tourists, people that kind of come to enjoy the films," said Coates.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall says the festival is a big deal for the state of Utah.
"A lot of returns at the local level, local businesses see and feel that economic impact," said Mayor Mendenhall.
FOX 13 News asked Mayor Mendenhall on Thursday how she feels they stack up against the other cities competing to host the festival, beginning in 2027.
"It's hard to stack the inexperience and the unknown of a new place against what has been a historic relationship and at once, 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," said Mayor Mendenhall.
The Sundance Film Festival Selection Committee toured both Park City and Salt Lake City late last month.
Mayor Mendenhall says the resounding theme from the visit was that the committee saw Salt Lake City in a way they hadn't before.
As for the Sundance Film Festivals in 2025 and 2026, both will take place in Park City and Salt Lake City
"I love the history of our relationship with them," said Silva.
The Sundance Institute says a decision will be announced next year, after the 2025 festival.
