We are now just about 24 hours away from one of the biggest – and most anticipated – announcements in county history.

We only need one more thing.

Someone to say it’s actually going to happen.

If I was a betting man, I would put the house on all assortment of local and state dignitaries gathering on the Chester waterfront tomorrow afternoon.

I would think our local odd couple, the Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell and Republican state Senator (and former Chester Mayor) Dominic Pileggi will be on hand. So will Mayor Wendell Butler.

They will be joined by a multitude all expecting the top brass from Major League Soccer to formally announce one of the worst-kept secrets in sports history.

The city of Chester will be home to the league’s 16th expansion franchise, which will likely begin play in the 2010 season.

Yes, it will represent the Philadelphia region, but it will play its games in a $115 million stadium to be built on the Chester waterfront.

All the key players in the team and stadium development will be there. Jim Nevels, the former head of the School Reform Commission in Philadelphia who heads the Swarthmore Group financial advisers. So will Jay Sugarman, the big money guy from New York who is the leader of the group. Also all the folks from the Buccini-Pollin Group. They’re the ones who are planning to construct a $500 million development of shops, restaurants and high-end housing, all in the shadow of the Commodore Barry Bridge.

Now will someone please tell us – officially – that this is in fact going to happen.
We’ve gotten lots of winks and nods about “something” happening on Feb. 28. We’ve actually had one person close to the deal tell us it “definitely” will happen on Thursday. Of course, that person “definitely” did not want to go on the record.

There is still no word from Major League Soccer. No advisory alerting us to a press conference on Thursday.

The latest is a mention on a Web forum frequented by the members of the Sons of Ben. They’re the local group of soccer fanatics who have been pushing to land a team now for years.

They’re all turning blue in the face waiting for official word that what they have been waiting for is actually going to happen Thursday.

Apparently there was some kind of meet and greet Tuesday night at which Nick Sakiewicz, the man hired to run the operations of the as-yet unannounced team, hinted at something big happening on Thursday. You can check it out here.

The suspense is killing us.

But I think it will all be worth the wait. I guess I can last another 24 hours.

Maybe.