Construction delays are causing concerns for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics as the main hockey arena, Santagiulia, faces completion just in time for the games. Originally planned to host a test event in December, the 16,000-seat arena’s testing has been relocated to a smaller venue due to ongoing construction challenges, with no new test event scheduled yet.
This tight timeline raises the possibility that the main arena might not be ready for use until the women’s preliminary round competition begins on February 5, a day before the opening ceremony. Despite reassurances from Milan-Cortina’s local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman deferring construction concerns to the International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation, uncertainties loom over the arena’s readiness.
The Santagiulia venue, set to become Italy’s largest indoor arena and host future events like the ATP Finals tennis tournament post-Olympics, is currently under construction by a private company. With premium tickets already on sale for events at the arena, including the men’s gold medal game selling for up to 1,400 euros, the pressure is on to ensure timely completion.
The return of NHL players to the Olympics, after an absence since 2014, is eagerly anticipated, with Canada’s women’s team set to defend their gold medal starting on February 5 against Finland. The men’s team will kick off their campaign on February 12 against the Czech Republic, with group stage matches to follow at the Santagiulia arena.
As the competition draws near, the focus remains on completing the arena and finalizing preparations for a successful Winter Games in Milan-Cortina.