With just 20 days to go before the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games, anticipation is building across Italy and the sports world. But alongside the excitement, the final countdown has also brought renewed scrutiny. Much of the conversation surrounding these Games has focused on delays in the construction of key competition venues, as well as the internal debate over the financial burden hosting the Olympics places on regional governments.
Against this backdrop, The Athletic spoke with Cortina Mayor Gianluca Lorenzi, who offered a candid look at what it has meant for his city to host the Games. Beyond the promised economic opportunity, Lorenzi detailed the intense pressure surrounding the project — including receiving death threats urging him to abandon construction of the sliding track that will host Olympic bobsled, luge and skeleton.
Editor’s note: Questions and answers have been translated from Italian.
Could you describe how the preparation process has progressed so far, and what the main logistical challenges have been in organizing an event of this scale? How is security being guaranteed for athletes, delegations, media representatives and the general public?
It has been very challenging because, for the past four years, we have been involved in various discussions with the prefecture, the government, the Veneto Region and the foundation to try to lay the groundwork for the Olympics, which will begin on Jan. 26 with the arrival of the torch, and then on Feb. 6 with the start of the Olympics.
As for security, there are 1,147 officers from various forces, including the state police, special units, the finance police and the Carabinieri (Italian military police), who will ensure the safety of the athletes, spectators and dignitaries. … So it’s a very important system, which has also been very complex because we had to find a place for them to stay and sleep. It wasn’t easy, but I must say that the prefecture did an excellent job.
In recent months, there have been reports of delays in some key projects linked to the Milan-Cortina plan, such as the hockey arena in Milan. Beyond Cortina itself, how concerning are these delays overall? Could they have an impact on the smooth delivery of the Olympic Games?
As for Cortina, no. In the sense that the only facility that is not yet guaranteed at the moment is the new ski lift that would be used to transport spectators and athletes to the ski competitions. However, a Plan B has already been drawn up with the network, so a solution has already been found there, too. To date, the government commissioner maintains that he will still be able to deliver the facility.
Cortina Mayor Gianluca Lorenzi received death threats linked to the construction of the Olympic sliding track. (Pierre TEYSSOT / AFP / Getty Images)
Recently, a security worker died at a construction site near the Cortina ice arena on a night when temperatures dropped to 10.4 degrees Fahrenheit. What can you tell us about what happened? Following this incident, have safety measures and protection protocols for workers operating in extreme weather conditions been reinforced?
I sympathize with the family regarding their loss, because it is truly a tragedy. As far as management is concerned, the construction site is run by the Milano-Cortina 2026 Foundation. … They are investigating and trying to understand what may have caused the death, so at the moment they are conducting an investigation. … The information I have is that it was a sudden illness, a heart attack.
In Cortina, events such as curling, sliding sports and women’s Alpine skiing will take place. What is the current status of these venues? What test events or official training sessions have already been held to ensure they are ready for the Olympic Games?
For the (Cortina Sliding Centre), the bobsleigh, skeleton and luge world championships have already been held there, so we tried out the three disciplines at the end of November. The trials went very well, both from the point of view of the track, which they say is fast and very technical, but what interests me most is that it is a very safe track. … Also, we have already had many requests from federations to come and train here in the coming years, which is fundamental for us in terms of legacy, to ensure the management of the track even after the Olympics.
As for curling, a junior world championship was held (in April) to test the compressors and air conditioning, and that also went very, very well, so we are extremely satisfied with that too. Today, they are setting up both the competition venues at the sliding center and the Olympic stadium for curling, while as far as the women’s downhill is concerned, we are much more relaxed because it is a competition area that we have been using for years (the Olympia delle Tofane ski slope) for the women’s world championships, so we are confident about that.
The sliding track has been one of the most controversial projects, due to its high cost, environmental impact and questions about its future use. How do you respond to these criticisms, and how do you justify this investment as a sustainable project with long-term benefits for Cortina and the surrounding region? Can you also confirm the total cost of the project, which the Italian press has reported to be €118 million?
The cost is correct. As far as the sliding center is concerned, I am extremely confident in the sense that Cortina has always wanted the track to be rebuilt for reasons of sporting culture. Until 2006, we had the bobsleigh track that had been in place since 1956, so we have all the know-how … as well as the people needed to ensure that the championships can be held in the near future.
We have been working on the bobsleigh track program for years. In fact, the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation … have already guaranteed us World Cup and world championship competitions in Cortina for the next four years, so we are working on that. We are redrafting the financial plan for the sliding center, which has an operating cost of €1.1 million per year.
These will become available to the municipality, which will rent them out through public tenders. So these too will bring in around €600,000 per year, which will all be used for the maintenance and upkeep of sports facilities, including the sliding center. Then we also have the new ski lift, which, according to the data for the lift that was built for 2021, brings in half a million euros.
In 2024, you reported receiving death threats related to the construction of the bobsleigh track. What impact have these threats had on you and on the project itself? In your view, what do they reveal about the level of tension and division this project has created within the local community?
It was not at all pleasant. Unfortunately, we then had to put security measures in place at my home and for my family, which is never pleasant, but of course, a death threat does not make me back down from my thoughts and idea of moving forward. So I have always moved forward, aware of this threat and being careful when I moved around, but I haven’t changed an inch from what my intentions were.
Certainly, there is a part of the population that was not in favor of, or is not in favor of, the sliding center, but unfortunately, it is difficult to get everyone to agree. … I am convinced that the fact that we have carried out the project is an added value for Cortina.
What should tourists planning to attend the Winter Olympics keep in mind?
Cortina has been renovated and is continuing to be renovated with new services, new hotels, new ski lifts, so we are ready to welcome you. … We look forward to seeing (everybody) both during the Olympics and, above all, after the Olympics, because after the Olympics, you will see the Cortina of 2026, which is a Cortina that was absolutely at the forefront in terms of the environment but has been renewed in its services to be comprehensive in relation to market demands.