Milan Hockey Arena Setbacks Could Leave NHL Stars on Unproven Playing Surface
Forget about thin ice. For now, the surface isn't ready.
With NHL athletes gearing up to return to the Olympics for the first time in over a ten years, construction on the main hockey venue for the Milano Cortina Games is going down to the wire.
Local organizers confirmed on Wednesday that the main trial competition for the 16,000-seat 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 may not be a game held in the main arena until the puck is dropped for the women's initial games at the Olympics on 5 February – 24 hours before the opening ceremony.
“It’s going to be very close to the beginning of the games, the timeline is very tight. But we knew that,” Milano Cortina local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier said in a recent update.
The event that was intended to evaluate the Santagiulia ice was part of the U20 world championship from 8-14 December. That event has been moved to the Rho Fiera hockey venue, which is being set up inside a giant convention center on Milan’s outskirts and will host lesser games during the games.
Typically, new Olympic venues are tested at least the prior year to hosting podium competitions. And with a sizable hockey venue, it’s not just about the ice and making sure that the playing surface is prepared and secure. It’s additionally about testing food outlets, bathrooms and all other amenities inside a brand-new modern arena.
The Santagiulia venue, which is being constructed by a commercial firm, is scheduled to become the nation's largest indoor arena. For after the Olympics, it’s being eyed as a potential upcoming venue of the ATP Tour Finals tennis event.
Despite the delays and worries, expensive passes are already being sold for matches at the Santagiulia arena. Tickets for the men’s gold medal final on 22 February – the closing day of the games – are going for as much as €1,400 (more than $1,600). That’s more than for any other sports event at the Milano Cortina Games. Only passes for the opening and closing ceremonies are priced higher.
The comeback of NHL players at the Olympics was announced in February of last year, with the world’s top hockey league allowing its athletes to participate in the Winter Games for the first time since 2014 in Sochi.
Men's Olympic hockey tournament is set to take place from 11-22 February. The women’s event occurs from 5-19 February.
