CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — There won’t be any spectators for the opening test races at the controversial sliding venue for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics .

That’s because while the track itself is mostly complete, the surrounding area remains a massive construction site.

Still, the upcoming World Cup bobsled and skeleton meet from Friday to Sunday will double as an Olympic test event.

Luge athletes have also been testing out the venue ahead of the Feb. 6-22 games.

“We’ll have had about 250 athletes test the track over the span of a month. So that’s a good stress test for the future,” said Fabio Saldini, the Italian government commissioner who has been overseeing the venue’s construction.

The old Eugenio Monti track first opened in 1923 then closed in 2008 because of risin

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