Skiing, Arts, & the Olympics

The end of the mining catalyzed Park City’s rebirth as a skiing destination. With government assistance and other contributions, Park City’s first ski resort, Treasure Mountain, opened in 1963 on 10,000 acres of land the miners owned with mineral rights.

Treasure Mountain

Now known as Park City Mountain Resort, Treasure Mountain Resort opened with a gondola, a chairlift, and 2 J-bars. Word of the new ski area spread quickly, and people steadily started moving back to Park City. In 1963, Sports Illustrated even included Treasure Mountain Resort's PayDay run as one of the finest ski runs in the country.

XIX Winter Olympic Games

In 2002, Park City hosted the XIX Winter Olympic Games. More than 40% of the events were held in Park City at the Utah Olympic Park, Deer Valley, and Park City Mountain Resort, with Park City hosting one-third of all medal events. With 78 countries in attendance, the global event put Park City in the international spotlight, which continues to this day.

Sundance Film Festival 

With the influx of new young faces to the town, new cultural interests also took hold in Park City. In 1970, the first Park City Art Festival debuted on Main Street. In 1981, Deer Valley Resort opened and the United States Film and Video Festival, highlighting independent films, opened in January. The festival has since become the Sundance Film Festival.

Explore Park City's Arts & Culture History

Park City remains a unique blend of the old and new, and the stories behind this rich history continue to be discovered by residents and visitors alike. Today, the National Register of Historic Places includes 64 Park City buildings, many located along the town's Main Street. One thousand two hundred miles of tunnels wind through the surrounding mountains, filled with remnants of mining history and the stories of people seeking a new life of discovery and hope.