The city's former ice rink was demolished for a new retail centre

The new rink in Cardiff Bay was first expected to open in September but a number of delays followed.

Contractors now say it will be ready to open on 30 November after earlier dates were missed.

But Bob Phillips from the Cardiff Devils Ice Hockey club described the situation as a "fiasco".

He said the city's ice hockey team, which has had to play all of its home games away from home, were promised an ice rink by 1 September.

He said he is now considering taking legal action against the council for "the recovery of lost money" because of the delays.

"It's been a total catastrophe, we are absolutely furious," he said.

"The money the council received from the developers to secure the National Ice Rink should have been used to build a proper permanent facility not spending �2.5m on putting up a rink in a tent down the Bay.

"It's a total fiasco," he added.

Construction of the new rink has been delayed

The temporary rink, which is being paid for by the council, is being set up after the old rink had to be demolished as part of the city centre St David's Two retail development.

The contractors constructing the new rink, Ice Associates of Peterborough, announced earlier this month that work had been delayed.

Cardiff Council has said that following a meeting between the firm and the operators of the rink, Planet Ice, a new date has been given for the opening of the facility.

'Behind schedule'

Council leader Rodney Berman said: "Nobody is more disappointed than Cardiff Council in the delay to the opening of the temporary ice rink at the International Sports Village, but this is due to contractor delays which are not of the council's making.

"The council is funding this rink at a cost of �2.5m to the council taxpayers of Cardiff and has appointed Ice Associates of Peterborough to build and commission the facility and Ice Associates has informed us that they are running behind schedule.

"Ice Associates has indicated that the rink will be finished in November and we are working hard with them and with the new operator of the rink, Planet Ice to ensure that this work is completed as quickly as possible."

When completed it will have 2,000 seats, changing facilities, offices and cafeterias as well as car parking.

It is expected to be place for between three to five years when it will be replaced by a permanent facility which will have a minimum seating capacity for ice hockey of 4,000 people.

It would be housed in a multi purpose arena, funded by the proposed regional casino and would support facilities for the Olympics in 2012.

Mark Nelson, a director with Ice Associates, said the firm did not want to comment as it was a matter for its client, Cardiff Council.