Park City figures on Tuesday reacted to the death of Sundance founder Robert Redford, emphasizing the impact he had on the community over the past four decades.
Sundance is one of the top film festivals on the international circuit, alongside those in places like Cannes, France, Toronto and Venice, Italy. The rise of Sundance starting in the late 1980s tracked closely with Park City’s ascent toward the elite levels of mountain resorts. Sundance plans to relocate to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027.
The Egyptian Theatre was one of Sundance’s original screening rooms, packing audiences into the historic venue. Randy Barton, the theatre manager, described Redford’s impact on Park City as “enormous.” Only Deer Valley Resort founder Edgar Stern had more influence than Redford on Park City’s modern era, Barton said.
He described that Redford “rescued” a fledgling film festival that eventually became the Sundance of today. Redford, he said, successfully coupled storytelling and independent filmmaking, making Sundance the “center of the independent filmmaking world.”
Barton said he came to know Redford “quite well” over the years, saying he was “very approachable and very friendly to everyone.”
The Egyptian Theatre on Tuesday changed the marquee in honor of Redford. It said, “Thank you Sundance kid! Applause for Bob Redford!”
Sundance kept its Utah offices at Silver Star in Park City for approximately 15 years, ending in 2019. Rory Murphy, who led the Silver Star development team and was instrumental in negotiating the lease agreement with Sundance, met Redford repeatedly as a result of the relationship with Sundance. Murphy also served for a decade as a member of a one-time Sundance advisory board in Utah.
“He had such an enormous impact on Park City. He gave Park City a cachet it would not have otherwise had,” Murphy said.
Some of Park City’s mountain resort competitors like Aspen, Colorado, and Sun Valley, Idaho, enjoyed the prestige he referred to for years before Sundance debuted, he said.
“It boosted our tourism. Certainly boosted the arts in the community,” he said, describing that Utah at the time Sundance began did not have a reputation for being “edgy and cool.”
The festival attracted a wealthier, better-connected clientele to Park City, he said. Murphy described the nine-digit economic impact Sundance brought to the state annually.
“Most people, the vast majority, do not understand the impact Redford and the Sundance Institute had on Utah,” he said, adding, “He was such an icon that everyone knew him and we were blessed to have him associated with Park City. They didn’t just know him. They loved him.”
Jennifer Wesselhoff, the president and CEO of the Park City Chamber/Bureau, provided a prepared statement saying Redford’s “passing leaves us reflecting on how profoundly he changed Park City—for the better. With his star power, love for the arts, and passion for Utah’s wild beauty, Redford transformed Park City into a place for free expression and new ideas. He championed conservation and helped align Utah’s identity with the natural beauty we love.”
“We will forever find his legacy in his films, in the spirit of independence he inspired, and in every heart that loves our soaring mountains, deep canyons and fresh snow. The Park City Chamber of Commerce is indebted to Robert Redford, whose Sundance Film Festival brought acclaim to the Park City region. With his passing today, our organization and community want to acknowledge the many ways in which the festival’s values have shaped Park City and challenged us to grow. We are, at once, saddened and grateful for his vision and generosity which became synonymous with Park City. If the world knows us as creative and conscious, it is because Robert Redford shared the mission and messages of Sundance with us for 40 years,” Wesselhoff said.
Mayor Nann Worel issued a prepared statement about the death of Redford.
“Robert Redford changed the trajectory of Park City and left an indelible mark on Utah. Through his vision for the Sundance Film Festival, he brought world-class art to our mountains and introduced so many of us to the power of independent film. He was a maverick – unafraid to chart his own path – showing that ideas and creativity can flourish even amid our differences. His legacy is both beautiful and profound, and one for which we all should be deeply grateful,” she said.