Officials of the International Wrestling Institute and Museum are considering moving the museum to a more populated city.
The museum was founded in Newton in 1998, but board members have been talking about relocating for the last six months. Founder and Director Mike Chapman said there’s a good chance a decision will be made by November to move to Des Moines or Waterloo.
Chapman said Waterloo officials, whom he will meet with next week, have offered a building more than two times the size of the museum’s current location and will help pay for renovation and moving expenses, which could be more than $500,000.
If moved to Waterloo, the museum would be renamed after board member Dan Gable, an Iowa State University graduate, former University of Iowa wrestling coach, Olympic champion and Waterloo native.
Chapman has not received any similar offers from Des Moines officials, but he said the board would strongly consider the state capital for a new site.
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