Cox noted that he has been involved in the Sundance Institute’s RFP process and the conversations he has been involved in were “incredibly positive.” Part of Utah’s proposal to continue hosting the film festival is to keep expanding the festival into Salt Lake City.

Cox was part of a group backing Utah's bid that met with the Sundance Film Festival Selection Committee last month as Utah seeks to retain the annual festival. The two sides met at the media education nonprofit Spy Hop in Salt Lake City on Aug. 25, according to the governor's weekly calendar.

Utah is still in the running to host the largest independent film festival in the United States.The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced Thursday that it has selected three finalists — narrowed down from six semifinalists — that have a chance at hosting the Sundance Film Festival starting in 2027.