In a building on the 700 block of Main Street, the so-called Indie Lounge will operate during the Sundance Film Festival.

Nearby, on the same block, a firm called Precious Entertainment will have a space.

The two were part of a series of approvals granted by the Park City Council in recent weeks as the festival fast approaches. The City Council approvals provide an early glimpse of what the festival-week cast will look like along Main Street and elsewhere in Park City.

The City Council is required to grant local approval for temporary liquor licenses like those that are needed by outfits that operate in Park City during Sundance. The elected officials also must approve what are known as convention sales licenses. A convention sales license allows a firm to operate a business in Park City on a temporary basis, such as a gifting suites. A temporary liquor license is needed before liquor is served at a party or an event. A convention sales license is required to obtain a liquor license unless a firm is an official Sundance sponsor.

The elected officials are annually presented with sets of license requests that are typically approved late in the year or in early January to ensure the proper permits are secured prior to the start of the festival. The City Council in November and December approved a series of the licenses. City Hall anticipates more will be presented for approvals on Jan. 5 and, likely, on Jan. 12, a week before the opening of the festival.

Although the licenses themselves do not provide details about the operation of the various sites, they do offer a preview of potential hotspots in January. Many of the locations are private, but crowds oftentimes gather outside hoping to spot celebrities as they enter or exit.

Some of the notable locations that received either convention sales licenses or liquor licenses include:

  • William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, a talent agency, at 221 Main St.
  • Chef Dance, a culinary competition, at 427 Main St.
  • Variety Media Lounge, 625 Main St.
  • Precious Entertainment, 738 Main St.
  • Tao, 1251 Kearns Blvd.Others that received approvals include the Stella Lounge at 449 Main St., which is a setup by the brewer Stella Artois, a spot by the credit card Chase Sapphire at 573 Main St., and a location for car maker Acura at 825 Main St. The Sundance Institute itself has locations across Park City. The Utah Film Commission also received licenses.

    Beth Bynan, a business license specialist at City Hall, said the flow of license applications has appeared to have dropped slightly through the third week of December as compared to the previous year.

    The festival setups are typically staged in temporarily leased spaces, particularly along Main Street. Building owners and year-round businesses oftentimes enter into lucrative rentals with firms in Park City for the festival, transforming the Main Street streetscape as the crowds arrive.