Kansas University has spent more than $1 million in recent months to improve fire safety at Allen Fieldhouse, but state authorities still have questions they want answered before the Jayhawks begin play next month.

KU officials hope to resolve those issues today during a meeting with representatives from the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office. No disruption to the basketball season is expected, a university spokeswoman said.

“If the state fire marshal needs anything or sees any needs to be addressed, we will do everything the state fire marshal wants to do to ensure safety,” Lynn Bretz, the spokeswoman, said Tuesday.

The fire marshal’s office did not return calls for comment.

Bretz could not provide details of the marshal’s concerns, saying authorities had a “punch list” of items to address at Allen Fieldhouse – including smoke detection and ventilation – during construction of a new Hall of Athletics on the building’s east side.

Reggie Shackelford, Kansas City, Mo., sweeps the south end of Allen Fieldhouse on Thursday afternoon in preparation for Late

She added: “We will do everything we need to do to ensure safety.”

Allen Fieldhouse celebrated its 50th anniversary in February. Construction of the $8 million Hall of Athletics began last spring.

At the same time, KU started renovations to the existing building – adding a new basketball floor, a new videoboard, windows and other improvements.

University officials on Tuesday said they’d also spent more than $1 million to improve fire safety at the fieldhouse, adding more emergency lights, fire alarm horns, smoke detectors and sprinklers to the building.

“We working to make the fieldhouse safer than it’s been,” said Jim Long, KU’s vice provost for facilities management.

But construction on the Hall of Athletics will continue through January, long after the Jayhawks’ basketball teams begin playing exhibition games there next month, starting with a men’s contest Nov. 9 against Fort Hays State University. Fans will pass through the unfinished hall to get into games.

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Long and Bretz said KU worked with state officials to answer safety concerns prior to Friday night’s “Late Night in the Phog” event that kicked off the basketball season, drawing a full house of fans.

That’s why Long expects that today’s meeting won’t force the university to find a new venue for home games this season.

“I’m expecting we’ll go to the meeting, that there are some things we’ll need to work through and some things we’ve accomplished,” he said.

The meeting, which is not open to the public, is at 9 a.m. today in the Simons Conference Room at Wagnon Athletic Center.