In the late ‘90s and early 2000s, Wichita was abuzz with public art. Major new projects were completed seemingly every year, and some of Wichita’s most recognizable public art to this day was created during that time. But somewhere along the way, that momentum slowed. Arts advocates in Wichita will present a proposed city ordinance at a Council Workshop on Tuesday that they hope will pave the way for more public art in town and put the kibosh on ugly public buildings. The ordinance would set aside a flat 1 percent of the city’s capital-improvement project budget for that fiscal year [...]

Add one more major item to Wichita’s extensive list of downtown projects. Along with the new baseball stadium complex being built ($83 million) and talk of a new performing arts center (expected to be more than $175 million), officials with Visit Wichita want to ensure the convention-center isn’t forgotten. Century II is hampering the city’s efforts to attract new conventions — which need modern, industry-standard facilities — to town, says the convention and visitors bureau. And the city could be losing out on $40 million in would-be convention spending on a yearly basis because of it, suggested a 2016 city-commissioned study. [...]

City leaders are hitting pause on the consideration of permits for some Airbnb rental properties to ask major questions about how the properties should be regulated. The commission recently created regulations for Airbnbs and other short-term rentals, but at its most recent meeting voted 3-2 to defer considering permits for three whole-home short-term rentals, where the property owner resides elsewhere, so it could get responses to questions posed by Commissioner Stuart Boley. Read more: LJWorld.com.