Union Workers from Atlantic City gave Philly a little song and dance today in the hopes of bringing attention to the casino town that has been losing millions of visitors every year.
The not-so-spontaneous “flash mobs” performed song and dance routines throughout the Philadelphia area, with the purpose of surprising and amusing passersby that are going about their daily lives.
The union’s plan was inspired by the impromptu song and dance routines made famous on YouTube that were performed by the comedic performance art group Improv Everywhere for cell phone company advertisements.
“We’re doormen, food service employees, bartenders, and hospitality workers at Atlantic City’s biggest hotels and casinos. We wanted to do something fun to remind people of AC and the Jersey Shore as a place to visit,” said Raphine Smith, a bartender at Tropicana and a 15-year member of Unite Here Local 54.
Members of the union, which is made up of about 14,000 members, performed at Valley Forge Mall at 2 p.m., The Gallery at Market East at 3 p.m., Reading Terminal Market at 4 p.m. and 30th Street Station at 4:30 p.m.
Atlantic City has been hit hard in the bad economy, losing about 4 million visitors a year since its peak of 34.9 million visitors in 2005.
“You see these flash mob things done by hipsters and kids. Oprah and NPR have looked at them,” said Suzanne Jones, a cocktail waitress and a 14-year member of Local 54. “We’re a local union. We’re just trying to bring some attention to Atlantic City.”
