St. Pete Grand Prix workers still waiting on paychecks

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) – It’s been 37 days since the winner of the Firestone Grand Prix in St. Petersburg passed the checkered flag to end this year’s street race, but the workers who spent weeks cleaning up those streets after the crowds dispersed are still waiting for a paycheck.

The workers tell us they have bills to pay and families to feed, but so far, no one has taken responsibility for more than $5,000 in unpaid wages.

The Grand Prix vendor, Dottie Flynn, who runs Clean MD and hired those 14 workers, insists she can’t pay them until the Grand Prix pays her.

Tuesday, Grand Prix race organizers reportedly told St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman they’ve sent a cashiers check to Flynn.

At her home and business inside the Schalamar Creek Golf and Country Club in Lakeland, Flynn shut the door when we showed up to ask about the unpaid workers.

“Goodbye” is all she said.

During a later phone call, Flynn promised to pay the workers tonight at Tropicana Field, but also accused 8 On Your Side of prompting her eviction from Schalamar.

Meanwhile, the Grand Prix won’t return phone calls or emails inquiring about the issue, and the workers say they won’t believe Flynn’s promises until she puts the money in their hands, and that can’t happen soon enough.