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SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah residents stormed the box office Sunday as tickets for the 2011 Sundance Film Festival officially went on sale.
The tickets were available exclusively to locals. To avoid long lines, residents registered for tickets to the popular event several months in advance -- securing their time slots for Sunday's pickup.
We have 600 more people that registered this year over last year. We have 3,400 people registered for the entire weekend, just from Salt Lake City alone.
–Nicholle Roberson
"I think it's like the Olympics for Salt Lake every year in January," said Nicholle Roberson, the festival's associate box office manager.
Already, organizers say they're seeing record numbers.
"We have 600 more people that registered this year over last year," Roberson said. "We have 3,400 people registered for the entire weekend, just from Salt Lake City alone."
With a new venue at the Salt Lake Arts Center displaying exhibits and Sundance merchandise on sale, they expect the record ticket sales to continue.
Open tickets go on sale to the general public Jan. 17. The Sundance Film Festival kicks off Jan. 20.