CU Real Estate Forum Offers First Look at Sundance Film Festival in Boulder
EbsBurnough, chair of the Sundance Institute’s Board of Trustees, and PaulaDuPréPesmen, managing director of Sundance Film Festival Relocation, joined John Tayer, president and CEO of the Boulder Chamber, for a conversation on the festival's impact on Colorado.
Boulder stepped into the spotlight,gettingan early preview of the 2027 Sundance Film Festival during the 2026 CU Real Estate Forum.
The forum, hosted by the Leeds School of BusinessMichael A.KlumpCenter for Real Estateon March 5, featured a fireside chat withEbsBurnough, chair of the Sundance Institute’s Board of Trustees, and PaulaDuPréPesmen, managing director of Sundance Film Festival Relocation.
An economic and cultural shift
In a discussion moderated by John Tayer, president and CEO of the Boulder Chamber, the panel detailed the festival’s 2027 move and its projected impact on the local economy.Burnoughestimated the festival had a state economic impact of $156 to $195 million in recent years.
“I have no doubt that it should be equal, if not more, especially as we grow the audience base,”Burnoughsaid, citing Boulder’s size and ease of access compared to Park City, Utah.
Addressing 400 commercial real estate professionals and Leeds students,Burnough said the city should expect a surge in seasonal staff when the festival runs from Jan. 21-31, 2027.Organizersalso project that as many as 80,000 visitors will flock to Boulder.
Burnoughemphasized that while workforce, transportation and lodging needs and development will evolve, the move involves more than just a 10-day event. The—the nonprofit that provides year-round support for storytellers—will also be showing up throughout Colorado.
“We have to figure out what long-term sustainability and synergy between the city, state, business and the institute are,”Burnoughsaid.
One of the ways Boulder’s businesscommunitycanimmediatelyget involved is through activations—brands and companies hosting events in local spaces during the festival. The Boulder Chamber launched thea site connecting organizations seeking space with available commercial properties across the city.
There are also opportunities for Colorado residents to enjoy the festival.DuPréPesmen noted that in Utah,nearly 70%of attendees were state residents. She expects a similar trend in Colorado, whereshe’slived for more than 30 years.
Chad Yoshinobu,principal and design director for Gensler, and Angela Loder, director and principal Researcher of Greening the City Consulting, discussed the neuroscience and design behind successful office spaces in the panel, "Why Place Matters: Rethinking the Role of the Office," moderated by Andrew Blaustein, executive managing director of Newmark.
“It is a treasure, and I know that our community will really embrace that and help this organization grow and thrive,” she said.
Industry and AI
The forum also explored trending topics such as rethinking the role of the office and how AI can solve real estate problems. Themes overlapped in surprising ways.
Panelist Chad Yoshinobu,principal and design director for Gensler, noted that as workplaces are designed with AI and automation in mind, “It’s going to get a little weird.”
Angela Loder, director and principal Researcher of Greening the City Consulting,said asAI takes on more mundane tasks,relationshipsand human creativity—and the spaces thatfacilitatethem—become even more important.
“I think it’s so interesting that we started this session with Sundance, because movies and artremind us of what it means to be human,” Loder said.