Behind the scenes logistics going well for Stampede move, official says

Shawnee County authorities are still putting together the logistics required because of the move of Country Stampede from Tuttle Creek State Park near Manhattan to Heartland Park Topeka.

“When you’re going to increase the population 180,000 potentially over the course of four days, it’s going to pull on some resources, commodities and those kinds of things,” said Shawnee County Emergency Management Director Dusty Nichols. “It’s going to be a shock a little bit, I think, to the system here in Topeka and Shawnee County. I can tell you, the planning going on behind the scenes right now, I couldn’t imagine it going any better at this point.”

There’s still a lot to do in a very short time.

“I have every confidence in our responders and community to meet this and make it a popular and successful event,” said Nichols.

Topeka and Shawnee County authorities dealt with another short notice big event last year when President Trump held a rally at the Kansas Expocentre.

“The same groups come together,” said Nichols. “The Stampede’s much larger as a public safety event, because it’s outside. There’s different hazards, especially during that time of year. We’re going to have to watch the weather, the heat, all those things, along with the standard stuff that we keep an eye on.”

Country Stampede will be held June 20 through 22 at Heartland Park.