As labor dispute continues at hotel slated to be Festival headquarters, workers are reaching out to Sundance to ask: “will you support us?”

BOULDER, CO—Workers at the Hotel Boulderado went public on July 1 with their demand for a fair process to decide on a union and began picketing. Management hasn’t responded and has instead brought in anti-union consultants. On July 29, Sundance Film Festival announced that festival headquarters will be the Hotel Boulderado.

The Hotel Boulderado, a historic 160-room property in downtown Boulder, has been an iconic community landmark since 1906, and will now be Sundance’s Film Festival headquarters from January 21–31, 2027. Located just steps from the heart of Pearl Street, around the corner from the Boulder Theater, and near the Canyon Theater — festival organizers note that all venues are within a 2-mile radius.

“This matters to me because this hotel and the people in it are incredible. I really care about the people I work with. They should be able to work and live well, not be completely overworked and miserable. I want to be able to feel that I’m treated fairly for the work and the care that I put in, because I love this place,” said Birdie Smart, Front Desk Supervisor, Hotel Boulderado.

The Hotel Boulderado was bought by Nashville-based private equity group, AJ Capital Partners, in 2024, and is managed by Schulte Hospitality Group. It is due to become a Graduate by Hilton Hotel. AJC Partners, Hilton, and Graduate Hotels have yet to respond to the workers.

Front desk staff, housekeepers, food service staff—are all squeezed by both the rapidly rising cost of living and understaffing. As hotel workers fight to have a voice on these issues, they hope Sundance will support them and their community.

The hotel brought in anti-union consultants who have been speaking with workers one-on-one and in groups for more than 8 weeks. In 2025, a well-known anti-union consultant earned at least $429,181 for his various projects around the country while a housekeeper in Boulder makes $21.80/hr.

Workers are reaching out to Sundance Film Festival to ask it to use its influence to support them by asking AJ Capital Partners and the hotel to hear and resolve their demand for a fair process ahead of the festival.

“Hotel workers are an often-invisible force making things happen behind the scenes and are a key part of successful events. Workers at the Hotel Boulderado are simply asking for a fair process to decide on a union, free of intimidation and retaliation. Workers have been leafleting and picketing to make their voices heard.  We hope Sundance Film Festival will support the workers who are opening the doors of their workplace to the Festival,” said Gwen Mills, International President of UNITE HERE.

Workers are planning a march and rally around Labor Day where they intend to deepen grassroots efforts to get Sundance’s attention.

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