Milan Ice Hockey Arena Delays Could Leave NHL Players on Untested Ice
Put aside thin ice. Currently, the surface isn't ready.
As NHL players gearing up to return to the Olympics for the first time in over a decade, building work on the main hockey arena for the Milano Cortina Games is cutting it close.
Local organizers confirmed on Wednesday that the primary trial competition for the 16,000-seat Santagiulia facility originally planned for December has been moved to a smaller arena – and that no new test event has been scheduled yet.
The issue creates the possibility that there may not be a match held in the primary venue until the puck is dropped for the women’s preliminary round at the Olympics on 5 February – one day before the opening ceremony.
“It’s going to be extremely tight to the start of the games, the timeline is very tight. But we knew that,” Milan-Cortina organizing body CEO Andrea Varnier stated in a recent update.
The competition that was intended to evaluate the Santagiulia playing surface was a segment of the U20 world championship from 8-14 December. This tournament has been transferred to the Rho Fiera hockey venue, which is being set up inside a massive exhibition hall on Milan’s outskirts and will host secondary matches during the games.
Usually, freshly built Olympic facilities are tested at least the year before to hosting podium competitions. And with a large hockey arena, it’s not just about the ice and ensuring that the rink is prepared and secure. It’s additionally about testing food outlets, bathrooms and all other amenities inside a brand-new modern stadium.
This new facility, which is being constructed by a private company, is slated to become Italy’s largest indoor arena. For after the Olympics, it’s being eyed as a possible upcoming venue of the ATP Finals tennis event.
Despite the postponements and worries, high-priced tickets are already being sold for events at the Santagiulia venue. Tickets for the men's championship final on 22 February – the final day of the games – are priced at as much as €1,400 (over $1,600). This exceeds for any other athletic competition at the Milan-Cortina Games. Only tickets for the inaugural and final events cost more.
The return of NHL players at the Olympics was revealed last February, with the premier hockey league permitting its players to participate in the Winter Games for the first time since 2014 in Sochi.
The men’s Olympic hockey competition is set to run from 11-22 February. The women’s tournament occurs from 5-19 February.
