Overview
- The new Santagiulia ice hockey arena in Milan remains under construction, with its first test events now set for Jan. 9–11 and the first Olympic game scheduled for Feb. 5.
- Officials say the Cortina sliding track has secured certification and is hosting test events through November following earlier environmental controversy.
- The Games will stage a distributed opening with parades in Milan, Cortina, Predazzo and Livigno and two Olympic cauldrons lit simultaneously in Milan and Cortina.
- Ticket sales have surpassed expectations with more than 850,000 sold so far out of roughly 1.4 million available for the Olympics and Paralympics.
- Organizers and the IOC highlight the low-build model relying mainly on existing and temporary venues, with only two new competition sites across the spread-out northern Italy plan.