'We are that serious': Louisville rolls out red carpet for Sundance officials

Sundance Film Festival officials have landed in Louisville.

On Wednesday, there were signs — literally — around downtown, announcing their arrival.

From a large banner on the Kentucky International Convention Center to a welcoming message in glittering lights on the Louisville Palace marquee, the city this week was looking to put its best foot forward for Sundance judges as they continue to consider Louisville as the next host for the internationally revered film festival .

"We've been asked to keep the details of this whole process confidential, but as you can tell, we want the Sundance Film Festival selection committee to see what we can do ... when we only have a few days notice that we're coming," Mayor Craig Greenberg told The Courier Journal on Tuesday. "Just think about what we can do with a couple of years notice in preparation to host the 2027 Sundance Film Festival and beyond."

While in town, Greenberg said city representatives would show the committee members "key venues" where films would be screened, other event spaces that sponsors may be able to use and "of course, we will have some bourbon."

Photos Greenberg posted on social media Wednesday showed the group standing outside Churchill Downs and on a stage, with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Senate President Robert Stivers and others.

For the past 40 years, the festival has been held in Park City, Utah. Earlier in the year, the Sundance Institute started to explore viable locations in the United States to host the festival beginning in 2027, according to a blog post on its website .

Louisville officials submitted answers to written questions, created a promotional video and had a video call with selection committee members.

Of the more than 90 cities that applied for consideration, Louisville ranked in the top six, the city announced in July.

"Hospitality is in our DNA," Greenberg said, pointing to the other large annual events Louisville hosts.

If selected, it would be "like another Derby" economically, he said.

"It is that big," Greenberg said. "We are that serious about it and let me also be clear, this is not just a Louisville effort. This is a statewide effort as well. Gov. Beshear, Senate President Robert Stivers, Speaker of the House David Osborne — all of us have joined together to work on this initiative to host the Sundance Film Festival in Louisville."

The state has been involved, especially in talks of what kinds of incentives it could provide to the group. However, those details will be confidential until a final decision is made, city officials previously told The Courier Journal.

While Greenberg could not say exactly how much money it would pump into the city's economy, he estimated it would be over $100 million.

Reach reporter Eleanor McCrary at EMcCrary@courier-journal.com or at @ellie_mccrary on X, formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: 'We are that serious': Louisville rolls out red carpet for Sundance officials