tourism

Park City Mayor Nann Worel doesn’t know why Sundance passed on the joint Salt Lake City and Park City bid but acknowledged politics could have inadvertently injected itself into the discussion.

Colorado, like Outdoor Retailer before, has lured away another Utah institution. The film festival has called Utah home since 1978.

The new signs reduce speeds by up to 15 mph as drivers enter Moab on State Route 191 in southeast Utah. Advocates hope it’s a first step toward curbing dangerous crashes between vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians.

All but one of Utah’s Mighty Five national parks had an increase in visitors from the previous year. At the same time, concerns linger about how federal job cuts might impact park crowds.

An estimated 1,000 National Park Service employees have been fired so far. That includes at least 20 rangers, by one unofficial count, from Utah’s popular and busy national parks.

The February mass firing of National Park Service employees has hit parks in southern Utah, including Zion and Bryce Canyon. That’s spurring worries about long lines and crowds as the parks’ busy season ramps up.

Utah’s national park lands see over 15 million visitors each year, and that number continues to grow. Zion National Park is the country’s third-most visited park.

Film wasn’t the only thing on people’s minds at Sundance this year. The effects of the wildfires in Southern California loomed large, as did the bittersweet knowledge that this year will be the second to last Sundance based in Park City.

The festival could remain in Park City and nearby Salt Lake City or move to other top contenders, Cincinnati, Ohio, or Boulder, Colorado, after next year's festival.

Sundance has been a Utah staple for decades. It’s an open question for local filmmakers whether or not they’ll feel the impact if the festival decides to leave Park City.

Many in the movie business continue to deal with the devastating fallout from the Los Angeles-area wildfires, but some are decamping to Park City for fresh air, new films and community.

While Cox says the state will do “everything we possibly can” to keep the Sundance Film Festival local, he isn’t open to offering the festival the pots of money Cincinnati and Colorado are.