Cortina’s 70-Year-Old Curling Stadium Shines at the Winter Olympics

During a break in a tense mixed doubles curling match with a medal on the line, stadium announcer Daniele Coscarella asked the crowd if they were ready to sing and cued “Eye of the Tiger.” The fans danced and belted out the tune, another memorable night in 70 years at the Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, which is co-hosting the 2026 Games with Milan.

The U-shaped, open-air wooden rink opened in 1956 and hosted Olympic hockey. John Mayasich recalled playing outdoors under floodlights and scoring three goals. In 1981, Roger Moore’s James Bond film For Your Eyes Only used the rink, and a later plan to cap the stadium proved contentious; architects instead enclosed the U shape with a glass wall while keeping the wood and the sense of openness.

For the 2026 Olympics, Simico expanded locker rooms, added ramps and an elevator, installed lighting and video screens and created a heating and cooling system to preserve curling ice.

cortina, olympic stadium, curling, mixed doubles, 2026 olympics, milan, daniele coscarella, simico, john mayasich, roger moore