Insa Riepen’s favorite memory of the Jim Santy Auditorium isn’t a groundbreaking documentary screening or time spent teaching Montessori students who sat delighted on stage.
It’s a prize that was given out many times by the former executive director of the Park City Film Series, Frank Normile.
“It was just a whole chicken stuffed in — it was a big can, yes. But there was a whole chicken in there. Come on," Riepen said. "Chicken in a can, don't you get that anymore at the grocery store?”
Riepen is a longtime volunteer with Park City Film. One thing that did not make her best-of list is the seats in the auditorium, which after 20 years of use have started to sag and lose upholstery. Still, Riepen said she wouldn’t return to the wooden seats that were in place for the preceding decades.
“Well it’s way better than the original version," she said. "But I can see that there is a need for an update.”
And now, an update looks to be in the works. Last week, the Summit County Council awarded the Park City Film Council $100,000 to repair seats in the auditorium. Park City Film Executive Director Katharine Wang said she hopes the balance of the project’s $150,000 cost will come from the city, which is set to adopt a municipal budget this month.
Summit County’s funding came from the restaurant tax, a 1% tax on restaurant sales in the county. This year, the committee in charge of recommending funding levels reported there was about $3 million to dole out.
The committee evaluates applications with the aim of increasing tourism and, through that, increasing restaurant tax proceeds.
According to the committee’s report, there was about $1 million more in requests this year than available funds. The largest outlays were $400,000 for the Park City Lodging Association’s Delta Flight Voucher program and about $360,000 for Park City Area Restaurant Association marketing campaigns.
The Park City Chamber/Bureau and the Sundance Institute received $300,000 and $225,000, respectively.
The committee reported that three entities missed out on funding. The Egyptian Theater did not receive any of its requested $200,000 after failing to submit financial paperwork by a deadline. That’s the same reason the Park City Institute did not receive its request for $100,000 for the Professor of Rock shows.
The Park City Historical Society and Museum, applying on behalf of Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History, did not receive the $400,000 it requested to secure the Silver King Mine headframe and do other restoration work. The report says the Summit County Attorney’s Office determined the project did not qualify for funding.
Summit County Chief Civil Deputy Attorney David Thomas said the property is not eligible because it is not owned by a government. Thomas said the property is owned by TCFC, which is associated with the Talisker Corporation, and is leased to Vail Resorts.
As for the Santy seats, Wang said there isn’t enough room to make them fancy or reclinable without losing some of the 446-person seating capacity. But she said the new seats will be staggered from one row to the next to improve sightlines.
Riepen has a specific request for the new décor.
“Make it colorful. Make it something that people can walk in and say, ‘Wow, look at this,’” she said.
Park City Film is hosting a series of drive-in movies at the Utah Olympic Park this summer, including a showing of The Alpinist at twilight this Saturday.
