March 07, (THEWILL)- Organisers of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, marked a milestone on Thursday, with the hoisting of the Italian flag at the construction site of the Olympic Village. The main outline of the buildings for athletes is already in place, putting the project ahead of schedule.
Despite the International Olympic Committee (IOC), issuing a warning last month about “challenging timelines” for some projects, the mood was positive during the flag-raising ceremony. Italian former figure skater, Valentina Marchei, raised the national flag, flanked by official mascots Tina and Milo.
One of the real estate firms involved in the Olympic Village construction, COIMA, stated that the buildings would be completed by July 2025,å as forecast. “As of today, we are three months ahead of schedule,” said Manfredi Catella, CEO of the developer. The village, rising on former railway land in Milan, will host 1,700 athletes during the Games.
After the 2026 Winter Olympics conclude on February 22, the village will provide low-price accommodation for students, addressing the lack of affordable housing in Italy’s financial capital. “Our goal is to be able to open the student residence in 2026,” Catella added. Last year, some students in Milan protested by sleeping in tents outside their universities due to the housing crisis.
The venue with the tightest deadline appears to be a new sliding track in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the Alpine ski resort co-hosting the Games with Milan. However, the overall progress on construction has given organisers a boost of confidence.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
