Seattle City Hall unveils new ping-pong table

What’s going on Wednesday at City Hall? They’re getting a new ping pong table, that’s what.

Seattle City Councilmember Nick Licata unveiled the new table Wednesday in partnership with Northeastern University – Seattle.

“City Hall is host to public concerts, public protests, public rallies; why wouldn’t we add a public Ping-Pong table to the mix?” Licata said.

Tayloe Washburn, Dean and CEO of Northeastern University – Seattle, said, the “simple, low energy activity can improve thought processes and spark innovation.”

“The more innovation the better,” he added.

The city reportedly acquired the table, paddles and balls from Northeastern at a cost of $1.

Licata and Washburn were the first to play a game on the new table that will be housed lower level of city hall.

After hearing about the table, KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson thought it pretty extraordinary that Licata was the councilmember behind the ping-pong announcement, considering his history.

Dori said that when the Mariners wanted to build a new stadium in 1995, Licata was behind a grassroots citizens group opposing the new stadium.

“Do you know what the name of their group was? ‘Citizens For More Important Things,'” said Dori.

“So the guy who rose to prominence as the founder of Citizens For More Important Things now that he’s gotten into politics, now that he is a Seattle City Councilman, he’s having press availabilities to tout the new ping-pong table at Seattle City Hall,” said Dori. “I guess he forgot the roots that he comes from.”