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Forget about poor conditions. For now, the surface isn't ready.

As NHL players preparing to make a comeback to the Olympic Games for the first time in over a ten years, construction on the main hockey arena for the Milan-Cortina Games is going down to the wire.

Local organizers confirmed on Wednesday that the main trial competition for the 16,000-seat Santagiulia arena originally planned for December has been moved to a smaller venue – and that no additional trial has been arranged 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 opening ceremony.

“The timeline will be very close to the beginning of the Olympics, the schedule is very tight. But we knew that,” Milano Cortina organizing body CEO Andrea Varnier stated in a recent update.

The event that was intended to evaluate the Santagiulia ice was a segment of the U20 world championship from 8-14 December. This tournament has been transferred to the Rho Fair hockey venue, which is being established inside a giant convention center on Milan’s outskirts and will stage secondary matches during the Olympics.

Usually, new Olympic venues are trialled at least the prior year to holding medal events. And with a large hockey venue, it’s not just about the playing surface and ensuring that the playing surface is prepared and secure. It’s also about checking concession stands, restrooms and all other amenities inside a newly constructed 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 postponements and concerns, high-priced tickets are already being purchased for events at the Santagiulia arena. Tickets for the men's championship final on 22 February – the final day of the Olympics – are priced at as much as €1,400 (over $1,600). This exceeds the price of any other athletic competition 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 last February, with the premier hockey league permitting its players to compete in the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014 in Sochi.

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