FADE IN: EXT - DOWNTOWN BOULDER - JANUARY 2027
SCENE: A blanket of fresh snow dusts the Flatirons. Film industry veterans, holding steaming cups of coffee, huddle outside the Boulder Theater. The historic art deco venue buzzes with premiere screenings while thousands of movie enthusiasts spill onto Pearl Street Mall, debating which indie film to catch next.
This isn't a movie script – it's what Boulder could potentially look like if Colorado succeeds in its ambitious bid to become the new home of the Sundance Film Festival.
The stakes are high, and Colorado lawmakers know it. They're advancing a bipartisan bill that would offer up to $5 million annually in tax incentives for the next decade to lure the festival away from its longtime home in Park City, Utah.
The reason the state is working so hard to sweeten its bid? If Utah's numbers are any indication, hosting the festival could be about a $132 million economic influx during what's typically the quietest time of year for local businesses.
"This is a huge economic player in the region and for the state as a whole," said Rep. Briana Titone, D-Arvada, one of the bill’s sponsors. She said those numbers explain why Utah is "desperately trying to keep the festival."
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and the state legislature have been working on new incentives that could offer the festival millions of dollars if it stays.
Colorado’s pitches an expanded Sundance
The vision for a Colorado-based Sundance goes beyond just downtown Boulder. While the historic Boulder Theater and CU's Macky Auditorium would serve as main venues, the festival could stretch north to Estes Park's Stanley Film Center, pulling in another iconic Colorado location for the 70,000-plus attendees who flock to the festival each year.
And Sundance’s footprint could go beyond the 11-day festival. CU Boulder has talked with the festival about how its students could get involved with mentorships, internships, and other professional development opportunities, Vice Chancellor Kirsten Shukman told lawmakers during a recent hearing on the tax incentive bill.
When it comes to economic impact, the numbers from Utah tell a compelling story. Visitors drop serious cash during the festival – about $246 per day just on food and shopping, according to Titone. Out-of-state visitors alone pumped more than $106 million into Utah's economy during festival season.
"Our industry has faced unprecedented challenges in recent years," Rebecca Hernandez of the Colorado Restaurant Association told lawmakers. "A tax incentive to bring Sundance to Colorado is a small investment compared to the enormous boost it could provide to local businesses, tax revenue, and overall economy."
Jeff Kraft with Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade pointed out that the festival hits "during a post-holiday economic lull when we have extra spare capacity in the system." Hosting Sundance would be like finding the perfect tenant for a vacation rental during the off-season – except this tenant brings thousands of friends and millions in economic impact.
But Colorado faces stiff competition. Cincinnati is also in the running, and Utah isn't about to let Sundance go without a fight. Salt Lake City and Park City have joined forces in a united bid, even launching a street campaign with "Keep Sundance in Utah" stickers during this year's festival which just ended over the weekend.
At the same time Colorado’s lawmakers are hoping to get the upper hand in the bid for Sundance, they are also offering a benefit for the rest of the state’s film community. Alongside the Sundance incentives, lawmakers are proposing $500,000 annually to support existing Colorado film festivals, in a show of their commitment to the broader film community.
Sundance Institute Director Eugene Hernandez has confirmed the selection is a three-way race between Boulder, Cincinnati, and Park City, and the final decision could come any time between now and the end of March. If it decides to move, the festival plans to be installed in its new home in time for its 2027 installment.
While Utah may have home-field advantage, Boulder's bid has turned this into what many in the film world are calling a real cliffhanger. If it succeeds, the festival has the potential to transform Boulder from a supporting player in the film world to the star in one of cinema's biggest annual celebrations.
