Lodge-Style Building

Will Have 16

Motel-Style Bedrooms

A major expansion at the Clyde Austin 4-H Camp is scheduled to begin early in 2010 to add a lodge-style conference building with 16 motel-type bedrooms that will have spectacular mountain views.

Andy Seals, the camp's director, said more than half of the cost of the $2.2 million expansion was funded by the University of Tennessee's Extension Service, starting in 2006-07, with the rest of the money coming from private local donors.

He said much of the local money came from a couple active in agricultural endeavors who asked that their names be kept confidential.

Seals said ground is expected to be broken early in January for the 13,035-sq.-ft. project. The building is expected to take much of the year to complete, he said.

The conference center building will be located close enough to the main 4-H camp for the camp's kitchen to serve it, he said, but far enough away that adult conferences will not disrupt -- or be disrupted by -- regular 4-H camp activities that take place in the spring, summer and fall.

The site is on a hillside above the main camp facilities, overlooking a small lake. On Tuesday, the site afforded a view of the lake as well as of the snow-covered Unaka mountain range in the distance.

The two-story building will have its upper floor at ground level at the top of the hill, and the lower floor at ground level part way down the hill.

The upper floor will include a large meeting room with a fireplace, and an entry foyer with bathrooms. That floor will also have half of the motel-style bedroom units.

Initially, the plans called for a large covered porch on the upper level, to take advantage of the mountain views.

The porch has had to be deleted from construction because of its cost, for now, Seals said, but the building is designed so that the porch could be added later, as funding becomes available.

The downstairs will have the kitchen, and a smaller, "break-out" meeting room, plus the rest of the motel units.

Seals said the first phase of the conference center will be designed to accommodate groups of 40 to 50 people.

Each of the motel-type bedrooms will have two full-size beds, he said, and a full bathroom. One unit on each floor will be handicapped-accessible, and the building will include an elevator.

In recent years, Seals said, the 4-H camp has received numerous requests from groups that are too small to be served economically by the existing 4-H camp.

He explained that the camp, which has been in operation for 60 years, has dormitory-style sleeping spaces, but cannot be operated efficiently for groups smaller than 75 people.

In the winter, especially, the cost rises because the large dorms cannot be partially heated. The camp dorms can sleep 380 campers.

In addition, the camp dorms are sex-segregated, with women sleeping in one building and men in another building. That arrangement is fine for some groups, he said, but not for all.

The new facility's initial "target group" will be 40 to 50 people, he said. The target will include those who wish to gather for a church retreat, a company meeting, an industrial management retreat, or even a family reunion.

It will be available for "anyone who wants to spend a weekend" in a pretty, convenient setting, with food available, or not, "without having to roam around a whole big camp," he said.

Groups can bring their own food, do limited cooking at the conference center kitchen, or have meals catered by the 4-H camp kitchen.

The 4-H camp is famous locally, especially in agricultural circles, for its barbecue chicken, grilled rib-eye steaks, and pork chops, as well as side dishes and desserts ranging from simple ones, such as ice cream, to elaborate, pastry-encrusted baked apples.

Seals said pricing has not been worked out yet, but will be designed to be low enough to allow the facility to stay busy and cover operational expenses.

Seals said he began "promoting" the idea of the planned structure when the camp celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1999.

"I announced the fact that we were trying to start a collection" at the celebration, Seals said.

"Not much happened" until 2006, though some small contributions were received before that.

In 2006, UT Extension was able to come up with some funding, he said, and that caused others to see that the goal of building a small convention center might be possible.

"Once you get a little closer to a goal, other people see that it's reachable," he said.

By late 2007, enough money was on hand or promised to start meeting with architects.

Vaughn & Melton is the design firm, with architect Robbie Benson, of Greeneville, being the designer.

The General Contractor is D&S Builders, of Sevierville. Seals said bids were sought, but no local companies submitted bids.

He said he is hopeful that local companies will be subcontractors.