The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory is the perfect place for your non-profit group to meet, greet, and dine amidst a well-known research facility within the historic mining town of Gothic located in the middle of the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
Conference Capabilities
RMBL is capable of hosting non-profit conferences of 30 – 135 participants with on-site lodging and up to 196 participants if off-site lodging is utilized. Organizers can enjoy a fully customizable program based on their needs and vision. We also have virtual conferencing capabilities in our community center’s main hall and boardroom to allow for hybrid conferences.
Available Dates
Conference dates are generally available after the prime field research season is ending in mid-August and before the RMBL campus becomes inaccessible due to snowfall in late October. As Fall progresses, some amenities such as the dining hall and running water in cabins become unavailable.
Travel to Gothic, CO
Conference participants may fly into the Gunnison/Crested Butte airport, which is approximately one hour away. Other regional airports include Denver (4 to 5-hour drive), Colorado Springs (4-hour drive), Grand Junction (3-hour drive), and Montrose/Telluride (2-hour drive).
Shuttle companies such as Alpine Express or Dolly’s Mountain Shuttle can provide transportation from the airport to Gothic.
For more details on getting to Gothic, visit our website here:
https://www.rmbl.org/field-station-info/getting-here/
Pricing
Conferences are fully customizable; however, for a full program of space rental, housing, and meals, the per-participant costs generally range between $550 – $750.
billy barr Community Center
The main lecture hall offers seating for 196 lecture-style and 128 for meals. Partitions can be used to adjust the space to fit smaller breakout groups, if needed. A large retractable screen, projector, and connected PA system allow for live and distanced presentations.
A small conference /board room, which seats 18 comfortably around a large table, is included with full rental of the community center, or can be rented on its own. This room has a wall mounted conference television for presentations and hybrid virtual conferencing capabilities.
The community center also has an outdoor tent available for use by groups and is included in the price of renting the community center. There is only a fee if groups wish to take down the tent.
Barclay Classroom Building
The Barclay Classroom Building has two classrooms that can each be set up with a projector and a screen. Classrooms can hold 18 to 30 people comfortably, depending on chair and table set-up. The classrooms can be rented separately or together for a discounted rate.
Additional Spaces and Breakout Rooms
When working with RMBL administration to organize your conference, your space needs will be discussed, and suggestions will be made to accommodate your vision. Spaces around Gothic that could be used for overflow and small group spaces include Ruby Lounge, The Visitors Center, Town Hall, the Herbarium, the Library, and empty cabins.
Based on your conference needs, the below amenities and additional requests can be part of your fully customizable package.
Lodging
On-Site Housing: We have many housing options available for use by conference groups. Cabins range from very rustic, with no running water or heat, to very comfortable with full kitchens and indoor bathroom facilities. Availability and price range will determine how conference guests are assigned. On-site housing works best for groups that enjoy the rustic nature of field station life.
Off-Site Housing: The Gunnison Valley has many off-site housing options including hotels, condos, short-term rentals, and even hostels. A list of lodging companies can be found here:
https://gunnisoncrestedbutte.com/plan/lodging/
Dining
Meal Plan: The dining hall is equipped with a commercial kitchen able to serve 3 meals a day along with coffee and snack breaks. Meals for groups can be negotiated as a full meal plan or specific meals of the day.
The timing of your conference will determine whether a meal plan option is available for your group, as the kitchen staff leaves when the demand from on-site researchers wanes.
Catering: Conference groups unable to secure a meal plan through the RMBL dining hall will likely need to have meals catered as many cabins do not have kitchens. The community center has a domestic kitchen with plenty of space for a caterer to work out of. Caterers must be approved by RMBL, though this involves no additional costs.
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