Milan Ice Hockey Arena Delays Could Force NHL Players on Unproven Playing Surface
Put aside thin ice. Currently, there’s no ice.
As NHL players preparing to make a comeback to the Olympics for the initial occasion in over a decade, construction on the primary hockey venue for the Milan-Cortina Games is going down to the wire.
Officials confirmed on Wednesday that the primary trial competition for the 16,000-capacity Santagiulia arena that was scheduled for December has been moved to a more compact venue – and that no new test event has been scheduled yet.
The issue raises the prospect that there might not be a game held in the primary venue until the competition begins for the women's initial games at the Olympics on 5 February – 24 hours before the inaugural event.
“The timeline will be very close to the start of the games, the timeline is very tight. But we knew that,” Milan-Cortina organizing body CEO Andrea Varnier stated recently.
The event that was intended to evaluate the Santagiulia ice was a segment of the under-20 world championship from 8-14 December. This tournament has been transferred to the Rho Fair hockey location, which is being set up inside a massive exhibition hall on the outskirts of Milan and will stage lesser games during the Olympics.
Usually, new Olympic venues are tested at least the year before to hosting podium competitions. And with a sizable hockey venue, it’s not only about the ice and ensuring that the playing surface is ready and safe. It’s additionally about testing food outlets, bathrooms and all other amenities inside a newly constructed modern arena.
This new facility, which is being built 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 tournament.
In spite of the postponements and concerns, expensive tickets are already being sold for events at the Santagiulia venue. Seats for the men's championship final on 22 February – the final day of the Olympics – are going for as much as €1,400 (more than $1,600). This exceeds for any other athletic competition at the Milan-Cortina Games. Solely passes for the inaugural and final events are priced higher.
The return of NHL players at the Olympics was revealed last February, with the world’s top hockey league allowing its athletes to compete in the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014 in Sochi.
Men's Olympic hockey tournament is scheduled to take place from 11-22 February. Women's tournament occurs from 5-19 February.