The Sundance Film Festival in 2020 closed in the weeks before the novel coronavirus pandemic roiled the globe, providing a boost to Park City businesses shortly before the economic convulsions that spring and summer.
A report issued in June of 2020 detailed the economic impact of that year’s festival. This year’s festival is the first to be held as an in-person event since the one in 2020, and the economic report offers a preview of the possibilities for the Park City business community.
The report showed the festival in 2020 contributed $167.5 million to the state’s gross domestic product and generated $88 million in wages in the state. There were approximately 117,000 people in attendance.
The report also provided details about spending in key business sectors. They included:
• nearly $63.4 million in lodging, with people from outside of Utah accounting for the entire amount.
• nearly $13.8 million in transportation other than car rentals, with non-Utahns accounting for the vast majority of the total.
• nearly $28.8 million in meals, with people who traveled to Sundance from outside of Utah spending the most.
• nearly $29.9 million in recreation and entertainment, with non-Utahns spending much more than those from the state.
People from outside of Utah spent an average of $605 each day they were at Sundance while state residents spent an average of $96 per day.