WATERLOO - The staff at The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum know their story isn't unique.

After all, dozens of downtown Waterloo businesses took on water during the summer's floods.

But Friday, when the freshly renovated museum reopens its doors at 303 Jefferson St., it will be cause for celebration. After seven months and $400,000 in repairs, the venue is ready to get back in action.

"There was one time when I thought the flood wiped us out," said Mike Chapman, executive director. "Even with my wrestling mentality, I really questioned whether or not we could come back.

"But when I saw the support from around the country and from the Cedar Valley, I realized that people did really care about what we are trying to do."

Despite sandbagging efforts, the museum's main floor took on roughly 3 feet of water during the June 10 flood. The venue's basement, which housed more memorabilia, was also damaged.

"We lost some one-of-a-kind items that can't be replaced," said Kent Sesker, marketing director. "But luckily, most of our exhibits that were out were high enough up on the wall that they came out OK."

Renovations started in October, with the bulk of funding coming from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Still, more modest donations from wrestling enthusiasts encouraged employees to restore the damaged displays.

"We've gotten hundreds of checks from across the country," Chapman said. "Most of them are small, but they tell us that people care about the museum and they want to help.

The nonprofit organization was founded by Chapman, a Waterloo native, author and former newspaper sports editor and publisher, in 1997 in Newton. A decade later it moved to Waterloo, logging 10,000 visitors in its first year of operation. Exhibits trace the history of wrestling from its earliest days in antiquity to the achievements of modern-day grapplers in high school, collegiate, amateur and professional wrestling. The building also boasts a small practice gym, and occasionally sponsors clinics led by the sports' stars, including the museum's namesake, Waterloo native, 1972 Olympic champion and former University of Iowa wrestling coach Dan Gable.

Friday's opening was scheduled to coincide with the National Wrestling Coaches Association/Cliff Keen National Duals, which will be Saturday and Sunday at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. More than 80 college teams are expected to compete in the tournament, and Chapman hopes the athletes and their fans will take time to visit the museum.

To draw more visitors, the museum is sponsoring an autograph session with sports stars from 3 to 5 p.m. Athletes on hand will include former professional baseball pitcher and Iowa native Cal Eldred, retired NBA and former Hawkeye star and radio commentator Bobby Hansen, and former NFL and U of I receiver Marv Cook. Baron Von Raschke, one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling in the 60s and 70s, will also be at the event, as will Dan Gable, and fellow Olympic wrestlers Bill Smith, Doug Blubaugh, Ben Peterson, Ed Banach, Randy Lewis, Chuck Yagla and Ben Askren.

Fred Tripp, of Waterloo, plans to attend the museum's re-opening. The retiree spent Friday getting exhibits ready for the building's professional wrestling room.

"Waterloo is one of the capitals of the sport, so it's important to have something like this here," Tripp said. "We're a blue-collar, factory town and the history of wrestling is the history of Waterloo."

Contact Mary Stegmeir at (319) 291-1482 or mary.stegmeir@wcfcourier.com.