A museum named for an eastern Iowa wrestling legend is moving to downtown Waterloo. The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum will move into a city-owned building on, Jefferson Street between Young Arena and the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center.
For Dan Gable, it’s a return home to Waterloo where he learned to wrestle…before he eventually became a world-renowned wrestler and coach. He’ll attach his name to the International Wrestling Institute and Museum. “when they put my name on it, it’s a whole different ballgame to me. I don’t want to be associated with anything that’s less than top-notch. I’ve been associated with it before but it’s going to take more of a commitment from me to make sure it’s successful, “Gable says.
The museum will move from Newton and will not only feature memorabilia and history, but help host tournaments and other functions. Mike Chapman is the Wrestling Museum executive director and says, “We have the potential to be a major player in the way wrestling is shaped not only here in the U.S. but around the world and attaching Dan’s name to that has incredible significance.”
Helping seal the deal was not only Waterloo’s wrestling heritage, but also a good deal on this building. The city will lease it to museum operators for a one-dollar a year, for 50 years. “We love the location and when we saw the redevelopment plan for downtown, we thought we’d fit in very well. We’re glad the mayor and city council could provide the lease for us, “Chapman says.
Waterloo Mayor Tim Hurley says, “Just the need for a place and opportunity of the building a new and being in our hands is what swayed us and when wrestling folks looked at the building it was like eureka, this is the place.”
The museum plans to close its Newton location July 31st. Then, it will move everything into this building on Jefferson Street before re-opening as the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum on November 1st.
Wrestling Gear
