Sundance Film Festival to depart Utah for Boulder, Colorado, in 2027

• Out-of-state visitors spent $106.4 million during the 2024 festival, which drew over 72,000 in-person attendees, according to an economic impact report.
• Sundance is also a major cultural hub, hosting film screenings and events throughout the year.

What they're saying: "Ultimately, this decision is theirs to make — but I believe it's a mistake, and that one day, they'll realize they left behind not just a place, but their heritage," Gov. Spencer Cox posted Thursday on X.

Catch up quick: Organizers announced last April they were exploring a new permanent location for the independent film festival after 2026.

• Sundance's contract with Park City was about to expire, and organizers had fielded complaints of bumper-to-bumper traffic and skyrocketing lodging costs there.
• Boulder and Cincinnati, Ohio were named finalists in September competing with Salt Lake City and Park City's joint proposals.
• Atlanta; Louisville, Kentucky; and Santa Fe, New Mexico also submitted bids.

Follow the money: The Utah legislature set aside $3.5 million to entice the festival to stay.

• But Boulder's bid included a proposed $34 million in refundable tax credits under a measure that was advancing through the Colorado legislature as of Thursday.

Between the lines: Sundance's announcement hints at other assets that may have pushed Boulder ahead — particularly venues and resources that come with a college town where downtown is a 1-mile walk from a major campus.

Zoom in: Organizers specifically praised Boulder's pedestrian-only Pearl Street Mall.

• By contrast, Utah's bid shifted some festival events to Salt Lake, where lawmakers this month targeted city officials with new restrictions on street plans that could reduce vehicle traffic.
• Meanwhile, Park City closed Main Street during the festival for the first time this year — but only after a driver rammed a truck into a crowd during a New Year's Day terror attack in New Orleans. About a third of businesses there said they didn't want the street to close in future years.

Friction point: Organizers reportedly balked at a pending ban on pride flags in Utah's public buildings, which lawmakers passed earlier in March.

• Tension around the measure led to mixed messages from Utah officials. Some conservatives urged Sundance to leave, saying the festival clashed with Utah's religious culture.
• Less than a month earlier, nearly 100 state and local leaders had signed a half-page ad in the Los Angeles Times, begging organizers to stay.
• While festival organizers did not address the flag controversy, they noted: "Boulder's welcoming environment aligns with the ethos the Sundance Film Festival developed in Park City — growing with a community rooted in independent thought, artistic exploration, and social impact."

Robert Redford, who founded the festival, expressed "sincere gratitude ... for Park City, the state of Utah, and all those in the Utah community that have helped to build the organization."

• "What we've created is remarkably special and defining," Redford said in a prepared statement. "As change is inevitable, we must always evolve and grow, which has been at the core of our survival."

What we're watching: How Sundance's departure will affect Utah's burgeoning film industry.

• The festival has highlighted a number of Utah-related films and draws Hollywood talent to the state.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new information throughout