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The voice behind Wildwood‘s iconic boardwalk tram alert – “Watch the tram car, please” – has filed a lawsuit claiming the recording has been used commercially for decades without her consent.

In a suit filed Oct. 21 in Cape May County Superior Court, Floss Stingel accuses the City of Wildwood and several other entities of monetizing the clip without providing her any compensation beyond “occasional free tram tickets.”

One of the most well-known and recognizable phrases in the tri-state area, the slogan is repeated by locals and tourists alike, the lawsuit says. It’s also been used at public events, on tourism websites, at museums and on memorabilia, as well as appeared in television shows and documentaries, according to the complaint.

Besides the City of Wildwood, the suit’s other named defendants include the Wildwood Historical Society, Morey’s Piers, St. George’s Stores and the Wildwood Boardwalk Special Improvement District, which purchased the tram car system in 2004.

“These corporations and the City of Wildwood benefit from the tourism and profits brought in through the help of Ms. Stingel’s iconic slogan on the historical tram cars. This allows for redevelopment of the Boardwalk, which in turn brings in more revenue,” the lawsuit said.

Heard 6K times a day

After the lifelong Wildwood resident recorded the line in 1971 as a favor to her then-boyfriend, it has gone onto become a summertime staple on the boardwalk, played an estimated 6,000 times per day, according to the complaint.

Each year, the service carries about a half million passengers up and down the two-mile boardwalk at $5 per ride for an estimated $2.5 million in revenue annually, the lawsuit says.

“Every time an operator of the Wildwood Tram Car presses a button to warn pedestrians of the tram car, Ms. Stingel’s voice recording plays,” it states. “Her voice can be heard on the boardwalk by people passing by and by locals living in the area when the wind blows her voice their way.”

A spokesperson for the City of Wildwood declined to comment. The Wildwood Historical Society, Morey’s Piers, St. George’s Stores and the Wildwood Boardwalk Special Improvement District did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

During an Oct. 22 news conference on the boardwalk in Wildwood, Stingel said the final straw came last year when stores began selling tram car plush toys using her famous phrase without compensating her.

Stingel’s attorney, Emeka Igwe, said his client tried to get a copyright 14 years ago, but since the recording predated the Copyright Act of 1972, it was denied.

In her suit, Stingel requests relief for misappropriation of likeness, unjust enrichment and violation of right of publicity. She’s also asking the city and defendants to stop further use of her recording without proper authorization and compensation.

A specific amount for compensatory damages is not listed in the complaint.