Milan greets Games with mixture of pride and misgivings

MILAN, Feb 5 : As Milan welcomed the arrival of the Olympic torch on Thursday, the sense of anticipation for some residents is mixed with a feeling that the Winter Games are a further sign that their city has changed in ways that leave many behind.

Concerns about the disruption to traffic and public transport caused by security measures as well as complaints about school closures and ticket prices temper the pride and excitement Milanese feel at hosting a global event.

"It somehow feels like a soulless display. This city seems to have become all about mega events and its glamorous image," said Massimiliano Reggi, 50, a father of two.

The Milanese are accustomed to periodic invasions of the city for fashion weeks and the Salone del Mobile design fair. Yet many had expected the Olympics to bring more than a welcome influx of visitors and money for the economy.

The Games, co-hosted with Cortina d'Ampezzo in the mountains, open with a ceremony on Friday night at the city's historic San Siro soccer stadium and run until February 22.

Some locals and competitors expect excitement to grow once the Games start in earnest, and are pleased to see the city has been spruced up for the occasion.

'A MISSED OPPORTUNITY'

More visibly marking the Olympic torch's route well in advance, or actively involving more schoolchildren before Friday's shutdowns which are prompting many well-off families to flee for a three-day skiing weekend could have helped build a sense of occasion, said Marina Maniglio, a doctor and mother of two.

"I really feel it's a missed opportunity. I'm disappointed, I was so getting into the Olympic mood," she said.

"I'd thought that, for a change, Milan would give all its kids a chance to live a once-in-a-lifetime experience,