Milan Cortina Winter Games: Concerns Over Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
As the Milan Cortina Winter Games approach, concerns mount over the on-time completion of the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, destined to host NHL players during the Olympics for the first time in over ten years. The construction of this crucial venue, designed to accommodate 16,000 spectators and situated on the outskirts of Milan, is lagging behind schedule, raising doubts about its readiness for the competition.
Urgency and Lack of Backup Plans
Andrea Francisi, the Chief Games Operations Officer for the Games, emphasized the lack of a backup plan during a recent interview with the Associated Press. With the first hockey event—the women’s preliminary round—set for February 5, just one day prior to the opening ceremony, there is increasing urgency. Normally, venues should undergo extensive testing at least a year in advance of any Olympic events, including assessments of essential services like concessions and restrooms, as well as ensuring the ice surface is safe for play.
Challenges and Optimism
The Santagiulia arena has already faced disruptions; a test event was rescheduled, with the next opportunity for evaluation pushed back to January 9-11. Despite these challenges, Francisi expressed cautious optimism, stating:
“Currently, we are cooperating closely with construction teams to ensure the facility will be ready on time.”
He acknowledged that there is no set deadline for transferring the arena to local organizers but assured that daily monitoring of the progress is taking place. As teams ramp up construction efforts, hope remains high that everything will be finalized in time for the games, with the men’s hockey tournament following shortly from February 11 to 22 and the women’s lasting until February 19.
“To remain successful, we must execute our plans impeccably at Santagiulia.”
