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

As NHL athletes preparing to return to the Olympic Games for the first time in over a decade, building work on the primary hockey arena for the Milan-Cortina Games is going down to the wire.

Officials confirmed on Wednesday that the main trial competition for the 16,000-seat Santagiulia arena that was scheduled for December has been moved to a more compact venue – and that no additional trial has been arranged yet.

This situation creates the possibility that there may not be a match held in the main arena until the puck is dropped 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 Olympics, the schedule is very tight. However, we were aware,” Milan-Cortina local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier stated recently.

The competition that was supposed to test the Santagiulia ice was part of the under-20 world championship from 8-14 December. That event has been moved to the Rho Fiera hockey location, which is being set up inside a massive convention center on Milan’s outskirts and will stage secondary matches during the Olympics.

Usually, new Olympic venues are tested at least the prior year to holding medal events. And with a large hockey arena, it’s not just about the ice and ensuring that the rink is prepared and secure. It’s also about testing concession stands, restrooms and all other amenities inside a brand-new modern arena.

This new facility, which is being built by a commercial firm, is slated to become the nation's biggest indoor arena. Following the Olympics, it’s being eyed as a possible future host of the ATP Tour 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 gold medal game on 22 February – the final day of the Olympics – are going for as much as €1,400 (over $1,600). This exceeds for any other sports event at the Milano Cortina Games. Solely tickets for the inaugural and final events cost more.

The return of NHL stars at the Olympics was revealed last February, with the world’s top hockey league allowing its players to participate in the Winter Games for the first time since 2014 in Sochi.

The men’s Olympic hockey tournament is scheduled to run from 11-22 February. The women’s event runs from 5-19 February.