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SportsQuest employees on the bench with no paycheck

Posted at 10:08 PM, Apr 17, 2012
and last updated 2012-04-17 23:34:24-04

Chesterfield, Va. (WTVR)—Current and former employees of SportsQuest still owed money.

“I`ve been evicted from my house, and I`m living with a friend,” said Doug Grisevich, former director of lacrosse at SportsQuest. “Its` been very difficult, very difficult… it`s tough.

Grisevich, struggling, continues to look for other options, but he says in the meanwhile--he is still owed one final paycheck from the sports complex. He says he hasn’t been paid since February.

Ashlee Johnson, a former daycare worker at SportsQuest, and Ashley Powell, a former membership saleswoman with the complex, claim they haven’t been paid since February either.

“It’s really hard… I`m a college student living with my fiancé, and getting by with what I was making,” said Johnson.

All of them say there are 9 more former employees in the same boat.

SportsQuest has been facing financial difficulties since late last year, with mounting debt and lawsuits.

In March, shareholders ousted CEO, Steve Burton, and replaced him with Dudley Duncan.

Duncan now writes the checks.

CBS 6 asked him what he has to say to these former employees.

“I really regret the circumstances the way it is,” Duncan responded. He claimed that the company hasn't generated very much revenue lately.

“Really, the only cash flow that`s come in is the revenue from the recent Jefferson Cup…but that`s just about spent to be perfectly honest with you,” he said.

Duncan said that in order to keep the company afloat, he used the money from the Jefferson Cup soccer tournament to pay lawyers, accountants and insurance companies.

Grisevich argues the Jefferson Cup generated an estimated $200,000, and that money could help pay the workers. What’s more, he said, they should have been paid first.

“I would like someone to look into state law. My understanding is that employees have to be paid,” said Grisevich.

Duncan says he doesn’t know when the workers will get paid.

“I don`t know the future of the company…to be really honest, it`s a really big question if the company will be able to move forward a week at a time right now,” said Duncan.

Duncan said he expects to receive more revenue from the Jefferson Cup tournament this week. He says he hopes to pay the employees with that money.