CHICAGO (WGN) — In an open letter to fans on the precipice of the beginning of the Chicago Bears’ 106th season, team president and CEO Kevin Warren has chosen where the Bears’ new stadium will be built.

“In evaluating options for a new stadium, the focus of the McCaskey family has been clear: build a world-class stadium that requires zero money from the State of Illinois for its construction,” Warren wrote. “We are partnering with political, labor, business, and community leaders across Illinois to develop a plan for property tax certainty and a fair contribution toward essential infrastructure that will benefit the entire community.

“Arlington Heights is the only site within Cook County that meets that standard. It allows us to better serve our fan base and deliver a truly transformative and elevated gameday experience.”

Warren’s statement offers a metaphorical stamp on the direction the franchise is taking in its quest for a new stadium, in what has been a long and winding saga. While his words make a move to Arlington Heights seem like a foregone conclusion, there are still legislative and financial hurdles for the Bears to overcome before the decision is cemented.

Sports marketing consultant Marc Ganis told WGN-TV’s Pat Elwood that moving forward with a new stadium in Arlington Heights hinges on two linchpins in the northwest suburban village—infrastructure around the stadium and the State of Illinois giving the Bears a tax break on the property.

According to Ganis, the most important hurdle to overcome is “that the Bears will pay for the entirety of the stadium without looking for public sector assistance to pay for it.”

The franchise will then need to provide clarity on how infrastructure associated with the stadium on the raceway property will be paid for, and what kind of property tax cap maximums will be associated with the stadium itself.

As for when stakeholders can expect more clarity on the Bears’ stadium pursuits in Arlington Heights, a bill on the property tax matter is set to be voted on during the state’s upcoming legislative session in October.

Bears Chairman George McCaskey said any further delays “would be a greater expense, and it also means we are missing out on another round of assignment of major events.”

Stay with WGN-TV, as this is a developing story that will be updated as more information is gathered and becomes available.