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Forget about thin ice. For now, there’s no ice.

As NHL players preparing to return to the Olympic Games for the initial occasion in over a ten years, construction on the primary hockey venue for the Milano Cortina Games is cutting it close.

Local organizers confirmed on Wednesday that the main test event for the 16,000-capacity Santagiulia arena that was scheduled for December has been moved to a more compact arena – and that no new test event has been scheduled yet.

This situation raises the prospect that there may not be a match held in the primary venue until the puck is dropped for the women's initial games at the Olympics on 5 February – one day before the inaugural event.

“It’s going to be extremely tight to the start of the games, the timeline is highly compressed. But we knew that,” Milan-Cortina organizing body CEO Andrea Varnier stated recently.

The event that was supposed to test the Santagiulia playing surface was a segment 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 exhibition hall on the outskirts of Milan and will stage lesser games during the Olympics.

Typically, new Olympic venues are tested at least the year before to hosting medal events. And with a large hockey venue, it’s not only about the playing surface and ensuring that the playing surface is prepared and safe. It’s also about checking food outlets, restrooms and all other amenities inside a brand-new contemporary arena.

The Santagiulia venue, which is being constructed by a commercial firm, is scheduled to become the nation's biggest covered stadium. For after the Olympics, it’s being eyed as a possible upcoming venue of the ATP Finals tennis event.

In spite of the delays and concerns, high-priced tickets are already being purchased for matches at the Santagiulia venue. Seats for the men's championship final on 22 February – the closing day of the Olympics – are going for as much as €1,400 (over $1,600). That’s more than the price of any other sports event at the Milano Cortina Games. Solely passes for the opening and closing ceremonies are priced higher.

The comeback of NHL stars at the Olympics was announced in February of last year, with the world’s top hockey organization permitting its athletes to compete in the Winter Games for the initial occasion since 2014 in Sochi.

Men's Olympic hockey tournament is scheduled to take place from 11-22 February. The women’s tournament occurs from 5-19 February.