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

As NHL players preparing to return to the Olympics for the initial occasion in more than a decade, construction on the primary hockey venue for the Milan-Cortina Games is going down to the wire.

Officials confirmed on Wednesday that the primary trial competition for the 16,000-capacity Santagiulia facility originally planned for December has been relocated to a smaller arena – and that no additional trial has been arranged yet.

The issue creates the possibility that there may not be a game held in the main arena until the competition begins 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 schedule is highly compressed. However, we were aware,” Milano Cortina organizing body CEO Andrea Varnier stated in a recent update.

The competition that was supposed 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 venue, which is being established inside a massive exhibition hall on Milan’s outskirts and will host secondary matches during the games.

Typically, new Olympic venues are trialled at least the prior year to holding medal events. And with a sizable hockey arena, it’s not just about the ice and ensuring that the playing surface is ready and safe. It’s also about checking concession stands, restrooms and all other amenities inside a newly constructed contemporary arena.

This new facility, which is being constructed by a private company, is scheduled to become Italy’s largest covered stadium. Following the Olympics, it’s being considered as a possible upcoming venue of the ATP Finals tennis event.

In spite of the postponements and concerns, expensive passes are already being sold for matches at the Santagiulia venue. Tickets for the men’s gold medal game on 22 February – the closing day of the games – are priced at as much as €1,400 (over $1,600). This exceeds the price of any other sports event at the Milano Cortina Games. Solely tickets for the inaugural and final events cost more.

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

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