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Forget about thin ice. For now, the surface isn't ready.

As NHL players preparing to return to the Olympics for the initial occasion in over a ten years, building work on the primary hockey venue for the Milano Cortina Games is going down to the wire.

Local organizers announced on Wednesday that the primary trial competition for the 16,000-capacity Santagiulia arena originally planned for December has been moved to a more compact venue – and that no new test event has been scheduled yet.

The issue raises the prospect that there may not be a match held in the primary venue until the competition begins for the women’s preliminary round at the Olympics on 5 February – 24 hours before the inaugural event.

“It’s going to be very close to the beginning of the Olympics, the schedule is very tight. But we knew that,” Milano Cortina local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier stated recently.

The competition that was intended to evaluate the Santagiulia ice was part of the under-20 world championship from 8-14 December. This tournament has been moved to the Rho Fiera hockey location, which is being set up inside a giant exhibition hall on Milan’s outskirts and will host secondary matches during the Olympics.

Usually, freshly built Olympic facilities are tested at least the year before to hosting medal events. And with a large hockey arena, it’s not just about the playing surface and ensuring that the rink is prepared and secure. It’s also about testing concession stands, restrooms and all other amenities inside a brand-new modern arena.

This new facility, which is being built by a commercial firm, is scheduled to become Italy’s largest covered stadium. For after the Olympics, it’s being considered as a possible upcoming venue of the ATP Finals tennis event.

In spite of the delays and concerns, high-priced passes are already being purchased for matches at the Santagiulia venue. Tickets for the men’s gold medal game on 22 February – the final day of the Olympics – are going for as much as €1,400 (more than $1,600). This exceeds for any other athletic competition at the Milano Cortina Games. Solely tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies are priced higher.

The return of NHL stars at the Olympics was announced last February, with the premier hockey organization allowing its players to participate in the Winter Games for the initial occasion since 2014 in Sochi.

The men’s Olympic hockey tournament is scheduled to run from 11-22 February. Women's event runs from 5-19 February.