When most people hear the word “meeting,” they picture fluorescent lights, cold coffee, and someone droning on while everyone secretly scrolls through email under the table.
The Gathering Place flips that script.
Nestled at the top of Edith Macy Center’s property, this private, standalone meeting center offers something you won’t find in a hotel ballroom: fresh air, fire pits, and a space designed for real connection.
Sales Manager Patti Caulfield shares this: “The Gathering Place is for one group and one group only to enjoy the great outdoors, to have meetings and breakout space.”
Why Your Offsites Fall Flat
Most offsite meetings fail for one reason: the environment doesn’t match the mission.
You can’t expect innovation in a stale boardroom. You can’t expect team bonding when everyone is stuck under the same roof all day. And you definitely can’t expect strategy breakthroughs when the vibe feels more like detention than inspiration.
That’s why Patti introduces The Gathering Place as a venue designed to break that mold.
The Leadership Circle: Ideas Around the Fire
Forget sterile tables.
Imagine starting your day in the Leadership Circle, an outdoor hub that can host 20 to 30 people. Here, conversations aren’t boxed in by walls; the warmth of a wood-burning fireplace fuels them.
Patti says, “Our wood-burning fireplace is available to capture that essence of being out in the wilderness while engaging with your colleagues and strategizing on what’s important to you and your organization.”
It’s not just a meeting, it’s a moment.
From Classrooms to Yoga Mats
Flexibility is baked into the design.
The classroom area can shift from clustered desks to an open circle of chairs, or even transform into a yoga session to break up the day. With an LCD projector and natural light pouring in from windows, you get the tools of a conference center minus the sterile vibe.
Food for Thought (and Conversation)
No need to fight strangers for bagels in the hotel lobby.
At The Gathering Place, groups have their own private dining room for breakfast, lunch, and coffee breaks. Just steps from the meeting space, it’s close enough for convenience but separate enough to make meals a chance for real conversation.
Decked Out for Connection
Step outside and you’ll find the private deck, an extension of the meeting room where strategy sessions meet fresh air.
Whether it’s lunch under the sun, an outdoor breakout, or tented programming year-round, the deck makes it easy to keep things fresh. Oh, and don’t forget the fire pit. Nothing says team bonding like ending the day with s’mores and strategy under the stars.
Or a heated game of Connect Four. Patti laughs, “And look at that. I won.”
Bonus Rooms for Big Ideas
Beyond the main spaces, the office area and lounge give groups even more freedom.
Whether it’s leadership huddles, brainstorming nooks, or just a space to recharge, the extra rooms let teams design the day around their needs.
Meetings That Actually Work
The Gathering Place offers what traditional meeting centers can’t: exclusivity, flexibility, and an environment that sparks creativity instead of stifling it. Instead of forcing people to sit in rows of chairs for hours, it creates an atmosphere where conversations flow, meals build relationships, and the outdoors becomes part of the agenda.
The result? Meetings that people not only survive but also remember.
Curious about hosting an event at The Gathering Place for your group? Let’s connect >>