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11 August 2023
MANHATTAN (KSNT) – The Country Stampede may be moving to a new home in Kansas with signs that it could relocate to its old stomping grounds in the Little Apple.
On Thursday, Aug. 10, the Country Stampede announced via social media that it is considering moving to a new home. The stampede has called Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka home for the last several years after it was announced that it would be moving from its usual location at Tuttle Creek in Manhattan in 2019. The decision to move was influenced by flooding at Tuttle Creek State Park and was projected, at the time, to cause a loss of almost $8 million in revenue to Manhattan.
With this new announcement from the Country Stampede, it could be considering new places to hold its country music concert in the summer. One option under consideration is Manhattan:
“As the Midwest’s largest and longest running country music festival, the stampede has drawn almost a million fans over 27 years to it’s festivals and hosted hundreds of great country music artists! Management will be sending out a request for proposal (RFP) to surrounding communities and entities to gauge their interest, and yes, this includes the City of Manhattan, too!”
Country Stampede social media statement excerpt
On Friday, Aug. 11, the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce weighed in on this new development, indicating that it would be open to the stampede returning to the Little Apple.
“Country Stampede is a unique and important part of Manhattan’s history. Thousands of people traveled to Manhattan over the two decades the event was held annually at Tuttle Creek State Park to see some of the most successful country music artists in the business. The economic impact on our community was extremely important and Visit Manhattan and the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce played a significant role in the ongoing success of the event.”
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce statement excerpt
Tourism groups from the local area received a request for proposal (RFP) from organizations representing the Country Stampede, according to the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce. This is the first step in determining which community will play the host for future Country Stampedes.
“While we are always excited for opportunities to attract world class events to Manhattan, the logistics of holding such an event requires a significant commitment from the community. We will be working with our regional partners including the City of Manhattan and Tuttle Creek State Park officials to determine how we develop the best Manhattan response to this opportunity.”
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce statement excerpt
The Country Stampede said it still plans to hold next year’s country music festival in Topeka and will be releasing a list of artists this fall.