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Forget about poor conditions. For now, there’s no ice.

As NHL players gearing up to return to the Olympic Games for the first time in more than a ten years, building work on the primary hockey venue for the Milan-Cortina Games is going down to the wire.

Local organizers confirmed on Wednesday that the primary trial competition for the 16,000-seat Santagiulia facility that was scheduled for December has been relocated to a more compact arena – and that no additional trial has been arranged yet.

The issue creates the possibility that there may not be a match 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 opening ceremony.

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

The competition that was intended to test the Santagiulia ice was part of the U20 world championship from 8-14 December. This tournament has been transferred to the Rho Fair hockey location, which is being established inside a massive exhibition hall on the outskirts of Milan and will host secondary matches during the Olympics.

Usually, new Olympic venues are tested at least the year before to holding medal events. And with a sizable hockey arena, it’s not only about the ice and making sure that the rink is prepared and safe. It’s additionally about checking concession stands, restrooms and everything else inside a brand-new contemporary stadium.

The Santagiulia venue, which is being constructed by a private company, is slated to become the nation's biggest indoor arena. For after the Olympics, it’s being eyed as a possible upcoming venue of the ATP Finals tennis tournament.

Despite the postponements and concerns, expensive passes are already being purchased for matches at the Santagiulia venue. Seats for the men's championship final on 22 February – the closing day of the Olympics – are going for as much as €1,400 (more than $1,600). That’s more than for any other athletic competition at the Milano Cortina Games. Only passes for the opening and closing ceremonies cost more.

The return of NHL players at the Olympics was announced in February of last year, with the premier hockey league permitting its athletes to participate in the Winter Olympics for the initial occasion since 2014 in Sochi.

Men's Olympic hockey tournament is set to run from 11-22 February. Women's tournament occurs from 5-19 February.