Overview
- The Santagiulia venue hosted its first test games on Jan. 9, with play briefly halted to repair a hole in the ice and reports of soft conditions.
- Organizers said the building is structurally ready but many elements remain incomplete, including limited finished dressing rooms, a missing main scoreboard, and temporary concessions.
- Sellable seating for Olympic hockey is about 11,800, lower than earlier plans, with some sections and hospitality areas still being built out.
- The rink meets IIHF specifications at 60.0 m by 26.0 m, slightly shorter than NHL length, prompting concerns over a tighter neutral zone even as officials affirm compliance.
- IOC and local leaders expressed full confidence the arena will be ready and that NHL players will participate, while the league maintains it will withhold players if the ice is deemed unsafe.