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Put aside thin ice. For now, the surface isn't ready.

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

Local organizers confirmed on Wednesday that the main test event for the 16,000-seat Santagiulia facility that was scheduled for December has been relocated to a more compact venue – and that no new test event has been scheduled yet.

The issue creates the possibility that there may not be a match held in the primary venue until the puck is dropped for the women’s preliminary round at the Olympics on 5 February – one day before the inaugural event.

“The timeline will be very close to the beginning of the Olympics, the schedule is highly compressed. However, we were aware,” Milano Cortina organizing body CEO Andrea Varnier said recently.

The competition that was intended to test the Santagiulia playing surface was part of the U20 world championship from 8-14 December. That event has been moved to the Rho Fiera hockey location, which is being established inside a massive convention center on Milan’s outskirts and will host lesser games during the Olympics.

Typically, new Olympic venues are trialled at least the year before to holding podium competitions. And with a sizable hockey arena, it’s not just about the ice and making sure that the rink is prepared and safe. It’s additionally about checking food outlets, restrooms and all other amenities inside a brand-new modern stadium.

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

Despite the delays and concerns, high-priced tickets are already being sold for events at the Santagiulia venue. Seats 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). That’s more than the price of any other athletic competition at the Milano Cortina Games. Only passes for the inaugural and final events cost more.

The return of NHL players at the Olympics was announced in February of last year, with the premier hockey organization allowing its players to compete in the Winter Games for the first time since 2014 in Sochi.

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