Former Employees Allege Kennedy Center Repairs Were Halted

Former Kennedy Center employees allege that executive director Matt Floca halted a funded plan to repair roof leaks in April, months before center officials cited building hazards in closing its main building. Floca disputes that account, saying the work was redirected after a contractor’s estimate came in far above expectations and that later inspections revealed more extensive damage. The allegations were submitted to congressional committees on Thursday in a letter from attorney David Seide, who represents the former employees. Seide wrote that the leaks had been known for years but were not treated as urgent safety risks. The letter says the center had secured $9.3 million in federal funding for roofing work and that Floca had approved $295,000 for design work on replacements for leaking roof overhangs. According to the letter, an internal communication showed that a funding request was canceled at Floca’s direction in April. The reason was not clear in the communication described in the reports. The employees allege that the remediation process was stopped despite available funding. The Kennedy Center rejects that characterization.