Rome (AFP) – The controversial bobsleigh track built for the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics at a cost of 110 million euros only to be abandoned five years later is set to be demolished, according to documents released by local authorities.

Issued on: 08/11/2026 - 16:43

SCR Piemonte, the body responsible for public procurement in the Piedmont region in northwestern Italy, issued a call for tenders earlier this month regarding the "redevelopment and conversion of the Olympic bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton site".

The tender which closes on December 10, 2026, covers a contract worth 7.6 million euros ($8.5 million) for the dismantling of the 1,435-metre-long track, its 19 concrete curves and all the facilities used for competitions -- technical buildings, start and finish areas, and changing rooms.

No date has been specified for the demolition work, which will finally bring an end to the most divisive project of the 2006 Olympic Games -- a facility built specifically for the event, only to be quickly abandoned due to poor accessibility, a lack of any post-Games purpose and high maintenance costs.

The Cesana Pariol track had a short and turbulent existence, marked by controversies over its environmental impact, including a refrigeration system that used ammonia, as well as construction delays, ultimately leading to its abandonment in 2011.

At the time, it was the only such track in Italy, although it was no longer operational, there was a brief possibility it might be revived for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games.

However, the Italian government ultimately opted to build a new track in Cortina d'Ampezzo, a project that also sparked controversy and was constructed in record time at a cost of 120 million euros.

© 2026 AFP

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