University of Utah Bureau of Economic and Business Research surveyors say Summit County reaped the bulk of that economic activity, taking in $52 million during the 10-day span. Much of that revenue came from out-of-state visitors, who accounted for 29,000 of the 48,300 people who attended the festival.

In 1998, the bureau said the festival attracted 19,000 participants who generated $20.1 million in economic activity.

"We're pleased that we are well-known and well-attended," said Jill Miller, managing director of the Sundance Institute, which operates the film festival as part of its mission to develop and exhibit artists of independent vision.

"This means we're staying true to our mission and providing audiences what they're looking for," she added, noting that 98 percent of festival visitors told surveyors they intended to return for future festivals.

In addition, 65 percent of festivalgoers also said they expected to visit Park City again for activities that have nothing to do with the film extravaganza. Roughly 28 percent planned to visit in the summer.

Those last two figures please Utah Office of Tourism Managing Director Leigh von der Esch, a former Utah Film Commission leader who sees many benefits emanating from the Sundance Film Festival.

"It always showcases our state to the best professionals in the moviemaking industry around the world," she said. "As [Sundance owner] Robert Redford has built this film festival and envisioned what it can be, it certainly has made Utah synonymous with filmmaking."

The high percentage of out-of-state visitors also thrilled von der Esch, who noted that the state Tourism Development Board invested cooperative marketing funds to help Park City-area tourism groups to promote the film festival beyond Utah's borders.

"We're delighted with the numbers they show they are bringing in," she said. "And we're able to put our Utah Travel Guides all around Park City . . . and get the message out that we're not just 10 days in Park City in January but 12 months a year with five national parks, great mountain biking, hiking and food."

For city spokesman Myles Rademan, Sundance's figures illustrate why Park City has provided financial incentives to keep the film festival in the city - and why a contract was signed recently to extend that presence another 10 years.

"The return on our investment is high, not only culturally but in name recognition," he said. "We're tied at the hip, and we want to be. They represent the kind of excellence we want to be associated with."

Miller said the festival's broad appeal yielded a side benefit as well: Nearly 1,100 journalists from around the world attended this year, resulting in roughly 2,500 stories accessible to an audience of more than 1.2 billion people.

"We've been fortunate to be picked as one of the top five festivals in the world," she said. "A large component is based on the business aspects of film. The business side brings media and more exposure."

Exposure means new attendees who bring their out-of-state money into Utah, the goal of von der Esch's office. This year, 48 percent of festival attendees were first-timers. "The festival and Sundance Institute have worked well in tandem with the state to increase tourism," Miller said.

mikeg@sltrib.com