Chris Jones provides insights from Italy in anticipation of the Milano Cortina Olympics.
The Milano Santagiulia arena, which has been facing challenges, hosted its inaugural game on Friday, temporarily setting aside months of worries and criticisms to showcase a night of hockey.
The highly anticipated “test event,” designed to demonstrate the arena’s readiness to host the first top-tier men’s Olympic tournament since 2014, kicked off with a Coppa Italia semifinal. As spectators entered without hard hats for the first time, workers were still actively clearing dust from the seats.
With the exception of the ice itself, meticulously maintained by Canadian ice expert Don Moffatt, the arena appeared far from being a finished venue.
Only the lower section of the arena was accessible, while the upper levels remained covered with black tarps and seats were still wrapped in plastic. The hallways carried the scent of recent construction work, and in some areas, the drywall mud was still moist to the touch.
Despite the ongoing presence of numerous workers inside the arena, who continued their tasks throughout the inaugural game, officials expressed unwavering confidence that Milan will indeed welcome the NHL and its players.
