LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville didn't make the final list of finalists to host the Sundance Film Festival beginning in 2027.

The Sundance Institute said in a news release Thursday that the final three finalists for the future of the prestigious international film festival are:

  • Park City/Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Boulder, Colorado
  • Cincinnati, Ohio

"As we move to the next phase in our search for a sustainable home for the Sundance Film Festival, we see great promise and potential in Boulder, Cincinnati, and Salt Lake/Park City," Eugene Hernandez, festival director and head of public programming, said in a news release Thursday. "Each has shown us the blend of exciting possibilities, values, and logistics needed to produce a vibrant, inviting, and inclusive Festival. We're excited for a future Sundance that can discover, support, and inspire artists and audiences for the next forty years."

Louisville was named one of six finalists earlier this year. Atlanta and Santa Fe were the other two cities cut from the initial list of six finalists.

The Sundance Institute visited each city to survey the potential sites. In late July, they came in Louisville, and the marquees at the Brown Theater, Louisville Palace, Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts and even Lynn Family Stadium showed a message of welcome to Sundance organizers.

"We are deeply grateful to all the finalists and appreciate the partnership and ingenuity we found in the three moving forward. as well as Atlanta, Louisville, and Santa Fe this summer. Leaders and locals in each community generously welcomed and inspired us as we explored the potential for our Festival in 2027, and beyond. On behalf of the entire Sundance Institute team, thank you," Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute board chair, said Thursday.

During a news conference about the announcement in July, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said over 90 cities wanted to be considered on this list of finalists. 

"A giant thanks to the local filmmakers, film advocates, nonprofit leaders, and public officials who served on the host committee and worked incredibly hard throughout this process. Louisville and our committee shined," Greenberg said in a news release Thursday. "It's disappointing that we came up short this time, but we will continue to work hard, and I remain incredibly optimistic that we will bring more major events and film industry developments to our city. We will keep building on this momentum. Louisville greatly appreciates the time the Sundance committee spent with us. We greatly value our strengthened relationship with the Sundance Institute and look forward to exploring future opportunities to host other events in Louisville with Sundance."

After 40 years in Park City, the festival is eyeing locations across the country for festivals starting in 2027 when its existing contract will be up for renewal. The snowy mountain town, along with Salt Lake City, will still be home to the 2025 and 2026 festivals, and the Utah cities remain one of the three options for future festivals.

The Robert Redford-founded festival has grown significantly since its inception. Redford, who stepped back from the Sundance spotlight years ago, expressed concern in 2016 that the festival as it existed might have outgrown Park City and was thinking about ways to evolve. He and his daughter, Amy Redford, who is on the board, have been involved in the process according to an April announcement about the location search.

Deadline reported earlier this year that the 2023 festival brought over $118 million to the state of Utah's economy.

Sundance said a final decision is expected in early 2025.

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