- Locals in Cortina fear post-Olympic changes may alter the town's character.
- Luxury businesses and hotels have emerged, raising concerns about affordability for residents.
- Ex-Olympian Luca Bocchi worries about future livability and visitor demographics in Cortina.
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy — As the 2026 Winter Games come to a close, some people around Cortina are concerned that the transformation their town underwent for the event may leave it changed forever.
Cortina has maintained a population of about 5,500 for decades, which jumps to around 50,000 during the ski season.
Some locals have noticed that, along with upgrades to Olympic venues and roads, several high-end businesses have made the town their home in anticipation of the games.
"They are making everything luxury," Rosella Devido, an employee at an outdoor footwear shop, said.
"Who knows if everybody can afford to come to the Cortina after the Olympics, if everything is five to seven stars, hotels and restaurants, maybe just for the elite."
The main shopping square in Cortina is lined with many high-fashion shops, featuring brands such as Prada, Louis Vuitton and Ferragamo, among others.
While a number of new hotels have opened ahead of the games, construction sites for more are underway, with some promising opening dates in 2027.
"Cortina has always been the luxury destination. But also, normal people could come. Right now, a lot of five to seven-star hotels have come from nowhere," Devido explained. "Everybody's welcome. But we should be welcome too."
Luca Bocchi was an Olympic swimmer for Team Italia in the 90's. He later settled in Cortina, in part out of his love for the surroundings.
"It's like a diamond Cortina," Bocchi said. "Now something happened that is not so good. As you can see in the mountain, they have built something that is not so good for us is wrong because they disrupt everything."
Bocchi adds that he has nothing against the games.
"I love the spirit of the Olympic Games," he said. "Sports is something that is really pure."
He just worries that with the changes and attention to Cortina, the number and type of visitors to the area may change, impacting the overall livability and affordability of the town.
"I'm a little bit scared about that," Bocchi said. "I'm not sure the future could be better compared to the past."
Estimates from organizers suggest some 2 million people visited the area for the Winter Olympic Games across several communities that hosted events.
