The Caverns
The Caverns is a Tennessee destination music and adventure tourism complex operating a subterranean concert venue (up to 1,200 capacity), a 6,000-seat outdoor amphitheater, cave tours, camping/yurt lodging, festivals, and an Emmy-winning PBS series, serving primarily out-of-state live music travelers and adventure tourists.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersPelham, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Caverns does
The Caverns is a destination music venue and adventure tourism complex located in Pelham, Grundy County, Tennessee, founded by Todd Mayo and operating since 2018. The company's core asset is a subterranean concert hall inside the Big Mouth Cave system — 8,000+ linear feet of passages with prehistoric natural acoustics, a constant 59°F temperature, and 91% humidity — accommodating 850 guests in padded chair seating or up to 1,200 standing. In 2022 the venue added a 6,000-capacity outdoor amphitheater at the base of the Cumberland Plateau, broadening its event programming from intimate cave shows to festival-scale productions.
The product portfolio combines live entertainment with tourism and hospitality: guided Big Room Cave tours and Adventure Cave Tours (with the Tombstone Pass), on-site car/RV camping, a 300-square-foot climate-controlled yurt village, The Caverns Tavern (featuring Caverns Limestone Lager brewed by Common John Brewing Co.), and The Caverns Lounge VIP experience. Content production is anchored by The Caverns Sessions, the Emmy Award-winning PBS television series (formerly Bluegrass Underground) that airs nationally and features more than 150 artists across roots, jam, Americana, country, and bluegrass genres. The founder's 2024 memoir 'Caveman Chronicles' extends the brand into consumer media sold via Amazon, and annual festivals CaveFest and CaveJam generate multi-day ticket revenue with camping packages.
The business operates as a direct-to-consumer destination venue, selling tickets through TIXR and the company website to a long tail of individual patrons — over 130,000 annually with 73% traveling from out of state, generating $87.8M in cumulative visitor spending between 2018 and 2025. Pricing is small-ticket and transactional: concert tickets range from $59.50 (general admission) to $194.50 (meet-and-greet packages), cave tours from $14.99, yurt stays from $369.99, and CaveFest two-day passes from $99 including camping. Ancillary revenue streams include F&B concessions, merchandise, VIP packages, private event rentals, and PBS licensing. The company is privately held, founder-led, with no institutional investors, no disclosed external funding, and a 29-person core team supported by 146 total jobs across Grundy and neighboring counties.
The Caverns firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Caverns
- Legal name
- The Caverns
- Website
- https://thecaverns.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Caverns is a Tennessee destination music and adventure tourism complex operating a subterranean concert venue (up to 1,200 capacity), a 6,000-seat outdoor amphitheater, cave tours, camping/yurt lodging, festivals, and an Emmy-winning PBS series, serving primarily out-of-state live music travelers and adventure tourists.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Caverns industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Music Venue
- NAICS
- Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Amusement and Theme Parks (713110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Live Music Clubs & Venues (MPAGAIAB), Event Operations & Venue Services (Box Office, FOH/BOH, Concessions) (MPAIAFAL), Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF), Live Music Bars & Venues (CRANACAH), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)
Keywords
Where The Caverns is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pelham
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Caverns business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Concert and Event Tickets: Primary revenue stream from live music concerts in the underground cave venue (850-1,200 capacity) and outdoor amphitheater (up to 6,000 capacity). Ticket sales include general admission, pit access, VIP packages, and meet & greet experiences.
- Cave Tours: Guided cave tours offered Saturdays, Sundays, and concert days including walking tours through Big Room Cave and challenging Adventure Cave Tours with Tombstone Pass.
- Camping and Accommodations: On-site campground with car/RV camping passes, yurt village glamping accommodations (300 sq ft climate-controlled yurts with bathroom, shower, mini-fridge), and pre-pitched campsites.
- Food and Beverage: Food and beverage concessions including craft beer, cider, and seltzers. Signature Caverns Limestone Lager brewed with Common John Brewing Co. Also includes The Caverns Tavern pre-show hangout.
- Merchandise: Exclusive merchandise available at shows and through The Caverns Tavern gift shop, including venue posters, apparel, and commemorative items.
- Television Production: The Caverns Sessions PBS television series generates content revenue and national exposure, airing on PBS stations nationwide and driving visitor traffic to the venue.
- Festival Revenue: Annual CaveFest festival (October) and CaveJam event generate multi-day ticket revenue with camping packages, VIP experiences, and add-on experiences.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | CaveFest 2-Day General Admission |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Peaches Concert General Admission |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Hippie Sabotage 2-Night Concert Package |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Add-On Experiences |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Caverns product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Caverns operates a destination live-music and adventure-tourism complex at the base of the Cumberland Plateau in Grundy County, Tennessee, anchored by a subterranean concert hall inside a natural cave (capacity 850 seated / 1,200 standing) and an outdoor amphitheater (capacity up to 6,000). The core commercial offering is ticketed live music events combined with guided cave tours (Big Room Cave walks and Adventure Cave Tours), on-site camping and yurt glamping, food and beverage concessions (including the signature Caverns Limestone Lager), and merchandise, supported by the Emmy Award-winning PBS series 'The Caverns Sessions.'
Product overview
The Caverns is a destination music venue and adventure tourism complex offering a unified portfolio of live entertainment and outdoor experiences. The core product consists of two distinct performance venues: an underground cave concert hall (accommodating up to 1,200 guests) and an outdoor amphitheater (up to 6,000 guests). Adjacent experiences include guided cave tours, adventure cave expeditions, and the PBS television series 'The Caverns Sessions.' Accommodations encompass on-site camping and glamping yurts. Additional revenue streams include The Caverns Tavern (food & beverage), gift shop, VIP lounge access, and annual festivals (CaveFest, CaveJam). The venue also offers private event rentals and publishes the founder's memoir 'Caveman Chronicles.' Together, these products position The Caverns as an integrated destination for music, adventure, and hospitality.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Caverns Sessions: A PBS television series (formerly Bluegrass Underground) featuring live music performances taped in The Caverns' subterranean concert hall, showcasing artists across roots-rock, jam band, R&B, country, soul, folk, Americana and bluegrass genres.
- CaveFest
- Camp Caverns
- The Caverns Tavern
Products and services
- The Caverns Underground Concert Venue A subterranean music venue inside a cave system accommodating 850 in padded chair seating or up to 1,200 for standing-room only shows, featuring state-of-the-art sound and lights.
- The Caverns Amphitheater An outdoor amphitheater at the base of the Cumberland Plateau with capacity for up to 6,000 guests per show, featuring reserved chair seating near the stage and access to cave-side restrooms and bar.
- Guided Cave Tours Walking tours through the cave system, including the Big Room Cave (an underground room three football fields long), exploring geology, local lore, and Grundy County history, offered Saturdays, Sundays, and concert days.
- Adventure Cave Tours Challenging guided tours that go deeper underground, featuring the daunting 'Tombstone Pass' and requiring 7-day advance reservation with gear provided.
- The Caverns Sessions (PBS Television Series) An Emmy Award-winning PBS television series (formerly Bluegrass Underground) featuring established and emerging artists across roots-rock, jam band, R&B, country, soul, folk, Americana, and bluegrass genres, taped live in The Caverns' subterranean concert hall.
- CaveFest Annual multi-day music festival featuring performances above and below ground, camping, cave tours, food trucks, craft vendors, workshops, and kids activities.
- Camp Caverns On-Site Camping On-site camping experience with car and RV camping passes, basic amenities, fire pit rentals, and proximity to concert venues.
- Yurt Village Luxury glamping accommodation featuring 300-square-foot climate-controlled yurts with beds, bathrooms, showers, mini-fridges, and private decks.
- The Caverns Tavern Pre-show bar and restaurant featuring Caverns Limestone Lager (the venue's signature beer brewed with limestone-filtered water by Common John Brewing Co.), exclusive merchandise, and casual dining, open before every show.
- CaveJam Multi-Day Music Event Multi-day music event featuring performances, camping, yoga sessions, sound baths, cave tours, and various activities for attendees.
- Caveman Chronicles (Memoir) A printed, ebook, and audiobook memoir by The Caverns founder Todd Mayo chronicling his personal journey from troubled youth to entrepreneur, exploring fatherhood, spiritual discovery, and the path to building the venue.
- Private Events Venue Rental Venue rental services for private events including corporate functions, weddings, and special occasions in the underground cave or outdoor amphitheater settings.
Quantifiable outcome
- $87.8 million total economic impact generated since 2018
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use The Caverns
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Caverns technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature3 records
The Caverns partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PBScorePBS broadcasts The Caverns Sessions television series nationwide, featuring both established and emerging artists. The Emmy Award-winning series was formerly known as Bluegrass Underground and represents a core marketing platform for the venue, generating national exposure and driving ticket sales.
- Common John Brewing Co.minorCommon John Brewing Co. brews Caverns Limestone Lager, The Caverns' first signature beer, using limestone-filtered water. Available exclusively at The Caverns venues including The Caverns Tavern.
- South Cumberland Community FundcoreAdministers The Caitlin Curry Scholarship funded by The Caverns ($50,000 over four years for Grundy County students at MTSU). The partnership supports local education and bridges the gap between the venue and community.
- Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU)minorMTSU's Scott Borchetta College of Media and Entertainment, Department of Recording Industry, partners with The Caverns for the Caitlin Curry Scholarship. Students can pursue audio production, music business, or commercial songwriting degrees.
- South Cumberland State ParkminorGeographic and tourism partnership with Tennessee's largest state park, which includes hiking trails, waterfalls, rock climbing at Foster Falls and Denny Cove, and stunning overlooks. The Caverns promotes the area as a combined adventure destination.
- TIXRcorePrimary ticketing platform for all The Caverns events including concerts, cave tours, camping, and festivals. Handles online ticket sales, promotional ticketing, and event management.
- WCTE PBSminorLocal PBS affiliate featuring The Caverns founder Todd Mayo on 'Where Stories Live' program, providing regional media exposure and storytelling about the venue's journey.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Caverns competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Brooklyn Bowl: Bowling-alley-meets-music-venue hybrid with F&B, similar to The Caverns' integration of concert + Tavern + merchandise. Comparable as a multi-revenue-stream music venue that monetizes food, beverage, and entertainment together.
- Ryman Auditorium: 2,400-seat historic concert hall in Nashville and "Mother Church of Country Music." Comparable as a heritage music venue with national touring acts, branded tourism appeal, and a parent (Ryman Hospitality Properties) that monetizes the venue as a destination experience.
- Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival: Multi-day destination camping music festival in Manchester, Tennessee. Comparable as a rural-Tennessee destination music event combining multi-stage programming with on-site camping and adventure amenities, directly competing for the same music-festival-going demographic.
- Gruene Hall: Texas' oldest continually operating dance hall, a 1,000-capacity destination music venue with strong tourism draw. Comparable as a heritage music venue whose unique physical setting and authenticity drive a destination concert business model.
- Red Rocks Amphitheater: Iconic open-air destination amphitheater near Denver, Colorado with ~9,500 capacity. The most directly comparable destination concert venue in the U.S., and explicitly cited by Rolling Stone as the surface analog for The Caverns' subterranean experience. Both monetize a unique geological setting with national touring acts.
- Telluride Bluegrass Festival: Multi-day destination camping music festival in Telluride, Colorado with strong bluegrass/roots/Americana positioning. Comparable audience and destination-festival model, including premium pricing on camping/lodging add-ons.
- The Gorge Amphitheatre: 27,000-capacity Live Nation outdoor amphitheater overlooking the Columbia River in Washington. Direct comparable as a destination concert venue whose natural scenery is core to its brand and pricing power, hosting major touring acts and multi-day festivals.
Broad incumbents
- House of Blues: Live Nation-owned chain of music venues with integrated F&B. Comparable as a multi-revenue-stream music venue operator with national brand recognition, though lacking the unique natural-setting differentiator of The Caverns.
- Ryman Hospitality Properties: Public REIT (NYSE: RHP) that owns the Ryman Auditorium and a portfolio of destination entertainment venues including the Grand Ole Opry. Comparable as a venue operator that monetizes iconic music properties through ticketing, tours, and adjacent hospitality.
Emerging players
- Bluebird Cafe: Intimate 90-seat Nashville listening room with strong brand recognition and artist-development focus. Comparable as a destination music venue in the same region with concentrated roots/Americana/songwriter programming, though at a much smaller scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights8 records
Customer concentration
The Caverns social profiles
Digital presenceThe Caverns financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Caverns leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
The Caverns funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Caverns M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Caverns
What does The Caverns do?
The Caverns operates a destination live-music and adventure-tourism complex at the base of the Cumberland Plateau in Grundy County, Tennessee, anchored by a subterranean concert hall inside a natural cave (capacity 850 seated / 1,200 standing) and an outdoor amphitheater (capacity up to 6,000). The core commercial offering is ticketed live music events combined with guided cave tours (Big Room Cave walks and Adventure Cave Tours), on-site camping and yurt glamping, food and beverage concessions (including the signature Caverns Limestone Lager), and merchandise, supported by the Emmy Award-winning PBS series 'The Caverns Sessions.'
Is The Caverns a public or private company?
The Caverns is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Caverns founded?
The Caverns was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Caverns based?
The Caverns is headquartered in Pelham, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Caverns make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Concert and Event Tickets are the primary driver. The others are cave Tours, camping and Accommodations, food and Beverage, merchandise, television Production and festival Revenue.
Who are The Caverns's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Brooklyn Bowl, Ryman Auditorium, Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Gruene Hall, Red Rocks Amphitheater, Telluride Bluegrass Festival and The Gorge Amphitheatre. Broad incumbents are House of Blues and Ryman Hospitality Properties. Bluebird Cafe is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Caverns have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Caverns.
What industry is The Caverns in?
The Caverns's product category is Live Music Venue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGALAC, Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues), with a secondary code of MPAGAIAB, Live Music Clubs & Venues. Its NAICS code is 71219 and its SIC code is 7900.