Ice Hockey Arena for the Milan-Cortina Winter Games on the Tightrope
The construction of the main ice hockey arena for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics is experiencing significant delays, raising concerns about its timely completion. The situation is critical, as there is no contingency plan in case the arena is not ready by the deadline. The Santagiulia arena, with a capacity for 16,000 spectators and located on the outskirts of Milan, is destined to be the stage for the return of NHL players to the Olympic Games after more than a decade. A test event scheduled in the arena had to be moved, and the new tests will not take place until the 9th to 11th of January.The first Olympic match in the main hockey arena is scheduled for February 5, with the women’s preliminary round, one day before the opening ceremony. Normally, new Olympic venues are tested at least a year before hosting medal events. In the case of a large hockey arena, this involves not only making sure the playing surface is ready and safe, but also testing concession stands, bathrooms, and everything else inside the new arena. Francisi admitted that there is no “precise date” for the handover of the venue to the local organizers, but he is confident that it will be ready for the Games. The men’s Olympic hockey tournament is scheduled from February 11 to 22, while the women’s tournament will take place from February 5 to 19.There is no Plan B. Therefore, we necessarily have to be able to organize the competition impeccably in Santagiulia.
Andrea Francisi, operations director of the Milan-Cortina Games
