Sundance Film Festival officials and the organizers of the Village at the Yard, an emerging spot for parties and marketing during the festival, have reached an agreement to turn the spacious Kearns Boulevard locale into an official Sundance venue in 2010.
Brooks Addicott, the chief spokesperson for Sundance, said press conferences and press junkets will be held at The Yard. It will also house hospitality suites for Sundance sponsors, she said, anticipating that parties will be held at The Yard as well.
Sundance reached the agreement with The Yard organizers — a firm known as Relevent Group and another firm known as BNC Marketing. Addicott said The Yard will be the "official hospitality place that we’ll try to send people to."
The agreement is on a year-to-year basis, she said. Other terms of the agreement were not released.
Mark J. Fischer, the owner of The Yard, said he is "very pleased and excited this has happened."
The Yard has operated for two years during Sundance, and it was independent from the film festival in the first two years. Fischer and the Sundance organizers, though, had a separate agreement that located some of the festival’s official parking on the grounds.
In its two years, The Yard has become a popular party spot in the late-night hours during the festival. It is located in an old lumber yard, and it features indoor and outdoor entertainment spaces.