DUBOSE CONFERENCE CENTER

What DUBOSE CONFERENCE CENTER does

DuBose Conference Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit conference and retreat facility located in Monteagle, Tennessee, on the Cumberland Plateau between Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville. The institution traces its origins to 1872 as Fairmount College and was converted to a conference center in 1956; its campus includes historic buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, such as Bishops Hall (constructed 1975) and Claiborne Hall (major roof restoration 2010). It operates as part of the Episcopal Church's regional ministry infrastructure in partnership with three Tennessee Episcopal Dioceses.

The facility offers lodging, dining, and meeting space for retreats, camps, conferences, weddings, and family reunions. Recurring programs include Camp Gailor-Maxon (summer youth camp), Winterfest, and the Episcopal Laymen's Conference. Pricing is per-event and per-person, with youth programs priced under $70 per weekend and camp sessions around $595. The center supplements its core Episcopal programming with partner-run programs such as the Sewanee Summer Music Conference, Nature Quest, and Getting The Love You Want retreats, and offers chartered bus transportation to multiple cities.

The business model is event-based non-profit hospitality: revenue is generated through facility rentals, per-person program fees, and donor support, with three Episcopal dioceses serving as anchor partners. The center had 5 employees and was led by Executive Director David R. Ramsey as of 2014. Operational scope is intentionally narrow — a single geographic campus serving a regionally concentrated Episcopal and adjacent retreat market.

Name

DUBOSE CONFERENCE CENTER

Legal name

DuBose Conference Center

Website

https://duboseconf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DuBose Conference Center is a 501(c)(3) Episcopal-affiliated conference and retreat facility in Monteagle, Tennessee, serving three Tennessee dioceses, summer camps, youth retreats, weddings, and regional group events on a historic campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conference & Retreat Center Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conference Retreat Hotels (THAGALAG), Historic/Heritage Conference Hotels (THAGALAL)

Keywords

• Conference center services
• Retreat venue rentals
• Group lodging facilities
• Summer camp programs
• Event hosting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Monteagle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Lodging and Accommodations: Revenue from overnight stays across five lodging styles: hotel-style Bishops Hall (32 rooms), dormitory-style Claiborne Hall, winterized group cabins (2 cabins sleeping 24 each), and rustic cabins (4 cabins sleeping 14 each). Pricing varies by accommodation type and group size.
2. Dining Services: Meals served in dining room accommodating up to 144 diners, with capacity for up to 600 with tent setup. Specializes in country-style comfort food. Meal planning services available for events with vegetarian options and dietary accommodations.
3. Camp Gailor-Maxon Program Fees: One-week residential Episcopal summer camp for kids: $595 per session with $25 early bird discount and $75 late fee. Pre-Camp 3-night program: $295 for one adult and one child, $160 each additional camper.
4. Event and Conference Hosting: Rental revenue from meeting facilities, conference rooms, indoor/outdoor worship spaces, and event venues for various groups including church retreats, weddings, workshops, and reunions.
5. Donations and Fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, DuBose accepts tax-deductible contributions including donations for Camp Gailor-Maxon scholarships, Unrestricted Annual Fund, and Capital Funds for historic building improvements. Online donations processed through PayPal.
6. Transportation Services: Bus transportation to camp from Memphis, Jackson, and Nashville locations with subsidized rates for some regions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DuBose Conference Center is a historic, non-profit conference and retreat center on a 65-acre campus in Monteagle, Tennessee, providing lodging, meeting facilities, dining services, and recreational amenities to organized groups. It hosts church retreats, conferences, weddings, family reunions, summer camps, and program-partner events. The center has served as a hospitality and gathering venue since 1956, drawing primarily on Episcopal Church clientele alongside civic, scout, corporate, and family guests.

Product overview

DuBose Conference Center is a historic conference and retreat center offering a unified portfolio of lodging, meeting facilities, dining, and recreational amenities across its 65-acre mountain campus in Monteagle, Tennessee. The core offering comprises five lodging styles (Bishops Hall hotel-style rooms, Historic Claiborne Hall dormitory rooms, Winterized Group Cabins, and Rustic Cabins) paired with versatile meeting spaces including the Barth Room, Pell Library, Upper Room, Chapel, and Charles Crump Pavilion. The center operates signature programs including Camp Gailor-Maxon (Episcopal summer camp), the Episcopal Laymen's Conference, Winterfest youth retreat, and All Women Are Daughters women's retreat, while hosting program partners such as the Sewanee Summer Music Conference and Nature Quest. Dining services provide meals for up to 600 guests, with accessibility for special dietary needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Camp Gailor-Maxon: Tennessee's longest-running Episcopal summer camp, serving kids since the 1920s. Week-long residential camp program with faith exploration, hiking, swimming, crafts, and worship activities.
• Episcopal Churchmen of Tennessee
• Winterfest
• All Women Are Daughters
• Sewanee Summer Music Conference

Products and services

• Group Lodging Lodging options across the 65-acre campus including Bishops Hall, Claiborne Hall, Winterized Group Cabins, Rustic Cabins, and McGee Lodge, serving organized retreat groups, wedding parties, and family campers.
• Meeting & Event Facilities Indoor meeting rooms for small, medium, and large groups plus outdoor venues including The Rose and Garden, providing spaces for worship, conferences, weddings, and group sessions.
• Dining Services On-site commercial kitchen provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner for groups staying at the center, with meals served in a dedicated dining hall.
• Camp Gailor-Maxon Summer camp for grades 1-12 offering themed weeks including Family Camp Weeks, Music Week, and Grandparent Weeks, with structured activities such as swimming, arts, and outdoor recreation.
• Wedding Hosting Wedding packages using on-site lodging, dining, and ceremony venues, including The Rose and Garden outdoor space for ceremonies and receptions.
• Signature Conferences & Retreats Recurring faith-based conferences and retreats such as the Episcopal Laymen's Conference, All Women Are Daughters, and Winterfest, hosted on the DuBose campus.
• Partner-Hosted Programs Venue and lodging hosting for partner organizations running programs on campus, including Sewanee Summer Music Conference, Nature Quest, and Getting The Love You Want couples retreat.

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Sewanee Summer Music ConferenceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA program partner providing continuing education in liturgy and music. They hold their conference at DuBose Conference Center on a regular basis, though not run from DuBose's office.
• Nature QuestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn 'activities approach' to Environmental Education that partners with DuBose for programming.
• Getting The Love You WantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA weekend workshop for couples led by Jeannie Ingram, held at DuBose Conference Center as a program partner.
• Episcopal Churchmen of TennesseecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual laymen's conference held at DuBose since 1947 - the largest conference of its type in The Episcopal Church and possibly the worldwide Anglican Communion.
• University of the SouthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated 7 miles from DuBose, the university is a partner providing recreational and educational opportunities including visits to All Saints Chapel and connection to the Sewanee domain for hiking trails.
• Episcopal Diocese of West TennesseecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three Tennessee dioceses served by DuBose. Underwrites bus costs for West TN riders attending Camp Gailor-Maxon.
• Episcopal Diocese of TennesseecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three Tennessee dioceses served by DuBose.
• Episcopal Diocese of East TennesseecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three Tennessee dioceses served by DuBose.
• South Cumberland State ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNearby recreation partner offering hiking trails, overlooks, and ranger-led rock climbing/rappelling activities for camp programs.
• Monteagle Chamber of CommerceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal business organization supporting DuBose and the Monteagle community.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• The Cove (Billy Graham Training Center): Evangelical Christian retreat and conference center in Asheville, NC operated by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Larger-scale denominational conference venue with similar lodging and retreat programming.
• Ridgecrest Conference Center (LifeWay): Large-scale Baptist-affiliated conference center in Ridgecrest, NC operated by LifeWay Christian Resources. Comparable lodging, dining, and meeting infrastructure at significantly greater scale, serving a different Protestant denomination.

Direct peers

• Kanuga Conference Center: Episcopal conference and retreat center in Hendersonville, NC. Operates lodging, meeting facilities, and summer camp programs within the Episcopal Church network — directly comparable to DuBose in mission, customer base, and product mix.
• Camp McDowell: Episcopal Diocese of Alabama camp and conference center. Directly comparable as an Episcopal summer camp and retreat facility with similar youth and adult programming model.
• Lutheridge & Lutherock Conference Centers: ELCA (Lutheran) affiliated camp and conference centers in western North Carolina. Comparable denominational retreat/lodging model with summer camp and adult programming.
• Montreat Conference Center: Presbyterian-affiliated conference center in Montreat, NC hosting church retreats, conferences, and youth programs. Comparable mountain retreat model with similar denominational anchor and multi-generational programming.
• Lake Logan Retreat Center: Episcopal-affiliated retreat and conference center in western North Carolina offering lodging, meeting facilities, and youth/adult programs. Closely comparable in denominational affiliation, retreat model, and programmatic focus.
• Monteagle Sunday School Assembly: Historic interdenominational Chautauqua-style assembly located on Monteagle Mountain near DuBose. Overlapping mountain resort heritage, lodging, and programming for religious/educational gatherings in the same micro-market.

Emerging players

• Young Life Properties (various camps): Operates multiple youth-focused residential camps and retreat properties nationwide. Comparable in youth camp programming model, though focused on evangelical outreach rather than mainline denominational service.

Others

• USO Centers (military hospitality): Non-profit hospitality and event spaces for service members. Comparable as a 501(c)(3) non-profit event/lodging operator relying on donations, though serving a distinct mission and customer base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/twitter
• Facebookfacebook.com/facebook
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dubose-conference-center

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DUBOSE CONFERENCE CENTER