Cincinnati is tossing its financial hat into the ring with a $2.5 million offering in hopes of becoming the new host city for the Sundance Film Festival, as first reported by WCPO. The city council's budget and finance committee passed a motion Monday to secure the funds from an unused portion of the Capital Project Reserve, proving their seriousness to snag the iconic film festival which has called Park City, Utah, its home for over four decades. Council member Seth Walsh said via WCPO news report, "City leaders have said they want Sundance, and now we’re putting our money where our mouth is," in commitment to luring the festival to Cincinnati beginning in 2027.
In investment terms, the city believes that hosting the Sundance Film Festival would pay dividends; indeed, the economic impact report from 2023 projects a potential annual benefit of at least $120 million, and Walsh highlighted the surge of local support by stating that the financial influx would be "on scale with what BLINK did for us a couple weekends ago," according to WCPO. The resolution underlines the initial $2.5 million. It discusses the probability of providing an additional $2.5 million for operational costs contingent on Cincinnati being picked, cementing this as a definitive 10-year, potentially $5 million commitment.
It’s a competitive field, with Boulder, Colorado, and Salt Lake City/Park City, Utah, also being finalists; the Sundance Institute is assessing each city on its infrastructure, ethos, equity values, and sustainability as future festival hosts. According to a joint statement from Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval and Kristen Schlotman, President and CEO of Film Cincinnati, obtained by WLWT, the duo expressed their excitement, saying, "As long-time attendees, we believe Cincinnati’s dedication to the arts, hospitality, and historic theaters make it a great fit. We are inspired by the idea of partnering with the Sundance Institute to celebrate the festival's rich legacy while introducing a dynamic, walkable and accessible new venue. Cincinnati's blend of creativity, culture, and community promises to be an unforgettable experience for both filmmakers and audiences."
The city council will vote on Wednesday afternoon to finalize the allocation. Sundance should select Cincinnati as its new stomping ground, and it would mean not only a considerable economic injection but also the relocation of 40+ year-round jobs to the city. This, Walsh articulated in a statement to Local12, epitomizes the council's resolution to "make sure that we've made the upfront commitment so that Sundance knows that we're serious about this and that they won't have to worry about changes in leadership in the coming years."
Local excitement has also been noted. Diane Janicki, an events coordinator with Theatre Management Corporation, told WCPO, "We're so excited about this. " This expression of the enthusiasm of the city's independent theater circles for the potential to host such a prestigious event is expected to lead to a definitive decision from the Sundance Institute after the festival concludes in 2025.
