To get inside Allen Fieldhouse or Memorial Stadium, all you have to do is allow security to search your bag and scan your ticket.
Soon, that could change.
Starting July 1, Kansas law will require state universities to allow concealed carry on campus. The only way university buildings or facilities would be exempt is if there are security measures in place, such as metal detectors at building entrances and security guards.
KU is making plans to ban guns from athletic events, possibly putting metal detectors at Allen Fieldhouse & Memorial Stadium @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/IincZyFRvI
— Ariel Rothfield KSHB (@arothfield) February 1, 2017
“Out first priority is to make sure that fans are safe,” said Jim Marchiony, KU Associate Athletics Director for Public Affairs.
Marchiony said the Athletics Department is currently planning ways they can ban guns from athletic events where attendance is expected to be more than 5,000 people. For example, at men’s basketball games fans may have to go through portable metal detectors in order to get inside Allen Fieldhouse. The same security measure would take place at Memorial Stadium.
Right now concealed handguns are prohibited on Kansas university campuses, like KU, but that will soon change on July 1st @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/4TOufNJLRJ
— Ariel Rothfield KSHB (@arothfield) February 1, 2017
Marchiony expects the security measures to cost more than $1 million. That money, he said, would come from KU Athletic’s operating budget.
"Guns in an arena like that… we would be negligent if we didn’t at least look into it,” he said.
Security measures to prohibit guns from facilities and events have to be approved by the Kansas Board of Regents governance committee. According to the Regents spokeswoman Breeze Richardson, the proposals could also go before the full board.
So far, no universities have presented proposals.
"We always have the thought that okay come Sept. 1 we have football games so we need to have our ducks in a row in a fairly short period of time,” said Marchiony.
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