Colorado lawmakers want to put millions of dollars in state tax credits on the table to lure the Sundance Film Festival to Boulder.
The annual, independent film fest says it has outgrown its longtime home of Park City, Utah, so it is shopping for a new location. Last fall, Boulder was named a finalist, along with Cincinnati and Salt Lake City, which would co-host the event with Park City.
Business and political leaders in Colorado have been enthusiastic. They told state legislators at a hearing Wednesday that the benefits would be widespread, from the Front Range up to the ski resorts. They also praised the timing of the festival — in late January, a time when tourism tends to hit a lull.
"We are happy to see that so many other communities around us are going to get to thrive as a result of this festival," Boulder City Council member Matt Benjamin said. "It’s coming to the state. It just happens to live a little bit there in Boulder and Estes Park, but everybody else will enjoy the opportunities that this festival will bring."
The incentive package could be up to $34 million. The benefits would be spread over a decade, provided the festival remains in Colorado that long.
The legislation is making its way through the state House of Representatives. The Business Affairs & Labor Committee approved the incentive package on a 12-1 vote on Wednesday. The lone opponent, Highlands Ranch Democrat Bob Marshall, questioned the economic benefits of the offer and said Boulder itself should offer the incentives.
The measure, House Bill 25-1005, next heads to the House Finance Committee for consideration.
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