Cortina Olympic Gondola Construction Threatened by 15-Metre Crack

Geological Issues Plague Controversial Olympic Gondola Project

The contentious Apollino-Socrepes gondola project in Cortina, Italy has hit a major snag, with the discovery of a 15-metre crack near the construction site. This development vindicates concerns raised by local residents about the area's geological instability, which were previously dismissed when legal challenges to the project were overturned. The crack poses a significant threat to the gondola's construction timeline and raises serious questions about its safety and feasibility as part of the 2026 Winter Olympics infrastructure improvements.

The construction site of the new gondola in Cortina. © Voci di Cortina

The emergence of this substantial fissure during a routine site inspection has forced officials to reassess the project's viability. While landslides are not uncommon in the Dolomites, a fracture of this magnitude is exceptional and demands thorough evaluation. Local authorities are now scrambling to assess risks and develop mitigation strategies, including potential slope reinforcement and construction schedule adjustments.

The Apollino-Socrepes gondola was intended to increase hourly capacity from the current 1,790 people (via existing chairlifts) to 3,000 - a 68% boost. However, this capacity increase comes at a potentially steep cost to safety and environmental integrity. The project has faced ongoing opposition from residents and environmental groups concerned about its impact on the fragile Dolomite landscape.

Political tensions are escalating, with local councillor Roberta de Zanna calling for an immediate halt to construction, while Cortina d'Ampezzo's mayor, Gianluca Lorenzi, advocates for a more measured approach focused on understanding the situation and prioritising safety.

Location of the new gondola lift at Cortina.

With only 151 days until the 2026 Winter Olympics, this geological setback puts significant pressure on organisers and contractors. While officials maintain optimism about completing the gondola on schedule, their assurances ring hollow given the scale of the problem and the compressed timeframe.

This situation highlights the risks of fast-tracking major infrastructure projects in sensitive alpine environments. It also underscores the importance of heeding local knowledge and scientific studies - in this case, research from the University of Siena that pointed to the area's instability.

Ultimately, the Cortina gondola debacle serves as a cautionary tale for Olympic host cities and ski resorts worldwide. It demonstrates the need to balance development ambitions with geological realities and environmental concerns. As climate change continues to impact alpine regions, similar challenges are likely to become more common, forcing the ski industry to adapt its approach to infrastructure projects in vulnerable mountain ecosystems.