I lived in Milan for the first 25 years of my life. I can guarantee you that in february the torrid temperatures are a big problem, fortunately the ATM (public transport company) now sold all the trams to S.Francisco and switches to dromedaries, now we can make our way out of the sandstorms with ease.
Anyways, in Milan only the opening and closing ceremonies will take place (in S.Siro stadium) and the ice sports. The rest is spread over three different regions, on structures that already largely exists.
I am not a big fan of having the olympics at home, for various reasons, but at least is s very very budged candidature. Milan still needs a proper ice rink, the Agorà is horrible and the Forum not really functional. Hopefully a new arena will bring back part of those 10000 spectators that the Saima had in the nineties. The village will be build in a very central, yet mostly abandoned, area. Worst case scenario will turn in the umpteenth block of unnecessary luxury housing and offices buildings. The rest is pretty much already there and will just need to be brushed up.
Oh, who says that northern Italy does not have a winter sport culture really does not know what he is talking about.
That said, when the games will be done, they'll leave behind a town with brand new shiny toys, much more gentrified, more expensive, less diverse and less livable for all the people that are not rich enough to cope with the new status.
I hope I will be mistaken with this, but the Expo is new enough to work as a good example of what can happen.
