 Mayors of Calgary and city aldermen have sat on the Stampede Board of Governors at the same time they occupied public office, and the Stampede's ability to convince wealthy and influential citizens to volunteer their time has allowed the organization to gain a high-profile within the city.The Stampede operates on city-owned land, pays no property tax on its lease, and typically faces little to no political interference from City Hall.It operates as a non-profit entity with all income reinvested into the park.