Sundance has narrowed its future film festival sites to 3 — Utah is still in the works.

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's split bid for the annual film festival, which will be held in Park City and Salt Lake City, is one of three remaining in the selection process to host the festival starting in 2027, the Sundance Institute announced.

Boulder, Colorado and Cincinnati, Ohio are the other two locations selected for the final phase of consideration. Atlanta, Louisville, and Santa Fe, New Mexico — cities named as finalists earlier in the summer — are no longer in the running.

“We see great promise and potential in Boulder, Cincinnati and Salt Lake/Park City,” Eugene Hernandez, festival director and head of public programming, said in a statement. “Each showed us the exciting mix of possibilities, values ​​and supplies needed to create a vibrant, inviting and inclusive festival.”

A final decision is expected sometime after the next festival ends in February, 2025.

The timing comes on the heels of an arts report commissioned by Summit County by Washington, D.C.-based lobbyist Americans for the Arts, which revealed that the relatively small county is punching above its weight in arts spending.

With only 42,000 residents, the report found $176,888,822 in economic activity including Sundance, representing 17% of total industry spending in Utah. The driving force, the report said, was nearly 60% attendance rate accounted for by non-local visitors.

By comparison, the same firm found that Boulder, with a population of about 100,000, currently sees $115,129,233 in economic activity related to the industry.

Still, with concerns about how big the annual festival has become for a small community like Park City, Utah's plan to hold the event would split it between Park City and Salt Lake City. The plan will only pair the two houses since it debuted in 1978 as the Utah/United States Film Festival in Salt Lake City.

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall confirmed Thursday that Salt Lake City could be the primary host with a concurrent event in Park City, if Utah continues to host the event. Park City is currently required to host at least 70% of events, although several events are now held in Salt Lake City each winter.

The exact balance between the two cities has not been finalized and will be picked by 2027.

State and local officials recently provided a tour of potential new Salt Lake City facilities that could host screenings. These include the headquarters of the media education nonprofit Spy Hop and the Sorenson Multi-Cultural Center Black Box Theater on the west side, which can make it easier for students or marginalized communities to enjoy the festival.

“We're thrilled. The place for Sundance is the state of Utah,” she said. “What we're offering is a new friendship, a new friendship between Salt Lake City and Sundance that didn't exist at all in the past — in a big way.”

The mayor added that the city was not the same when the festival began, as its population has grown by about 30% since the festival moved to Park City. He pointed to upcoming projects like a downtown revitalization zone, Main Street Promenade and Green Loop as ways the city is still growing and offering ways to handle future Sundance crowds.

The Utah Transit Authority is also set to expand downtown TRAX service with its planned fourth light-rail line.

Mendenhall, Park City Mayor Nan Orrell and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson issued a joint statement earlier Thursday saying they were “proud” of their bids.

“Each step brings us closer as a bid team to continue our journey with Sundance. We look forward to building stronger bonds to inspire artists and enhance the festival experience,” they said. “With our extensive event infrastructure, world-class venues and warm hospitality, we are ready to help Sundance shine on the world stage.”

However, Utah's other competitors also feel good about their chances.

Cincinnati, sort of the dark horse of the race, has a lot going for the festival, according to Allison West, founder of the SynIndependent Film Festival.

“I think we have the best chance, quite frankly,” West said. Sundance cited an emphasis on accessibility, which is well connected to a walkable downtown, transit system, and the area's supportive businesses and theaters. West argues that while Park City is somewhat exclusive, Cincinnati offers a bottom-up participation model.

He said that with the buzz around the Sundance conversation in town, demand for tickets to the independent festival has been high.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis called Boulder the “next natural home” of the Sundance Film Festival in a statement and said it will “complement the work and creative activity already happening in Colorado.”