Milano Hockey Arena Setbacks May Force NHL Stars on Untested Playing Surface
Put aside thin ice. For now, the surface isn't ready.
With NHL players gearing up to return to the Olympics for the initial occasion in more than a decade, building work on the main hockey arena for the Milan-Cortina Games is cutting it close.
Local organizers announced on Wednesday that the primary trial competition for the 16,000-seat Santagiulia facility that was scheduled for December has been relocated to a smaller venue – and that no additional trial has been arranged yet.
The issue raises the prospect that there may not be a match held in the main arena until the puck is dropped for the women's initial games at the Olympics on 5 February – one day before the inaugural event.
“The timeline will be extremely tight to the beginning of the games, the timeline is very tight. However, we were aware,” Milan-Cortina organizing body CEO Andrea Varnier stated in a recent update.
The event that was supposed to evaluate the Santagiulia ice was part of the U20 world championship from 8-14 December. That event has been transferred to the Rho Fiera hockey location, which is being established inside a massive exhibition hall on the outskirts of Milan and will host lesser games during the games.
Usually, new Olympic venues are trialled at least the prior year to holding podium competitions. And with a large hockey arena, it’s not only about the playing surface and ensuring that the playing surface is ready and safe. It’s also about checking concession stands, restrooms and all other amenities inside a brand-new contemporary arena.
The Santagiulia venue, which is being built by a private company, is slated to become Italy’s biggest covered stadium. Following the Olympics, it’s being considered as a possible future host of the ATP Tour Finals tennis event.
Despite the postponements and concerns, high-priced tickets are already being sold for matches at the Santagiulia arena. Seats for the men's championship game on 22 February – the final day of the games – are going for as much as €1,400 (more than $1,600). That’s more than the price of any other sports event at the Milan-Cortina Games. Solely passes for the opening and closing ceremonies cost more.
The comeback of NHL players at the Olympics was announced last February, with the premier hockey league permitting its players to compete in the Winter Olympics for the initial occasion since 2014 in Sochi.
Men's Olympic hockey competition is set to run from 11-22 February. Women's tournament runs from 5-19 February.
