A new "science city" may soon emerge with the creation of the International Linear Collider, a new multi-billion dollar particle smasher.

However, still to be decided is where this "dream machine" will be built. Prospects include Japan which made clear its interest to house the ILC, China and Russia. The United States, which is an unlikely site, has said that they can take up to 25 percent of the cost.

The science city can provide hundreds of jobs to the host country.

The ILC was the focus of the discussion of scientists and heads of major research centers during a four day gathering at CERN near Geneva. Organized by the International Committee for Future Accelerators or ICFA, the group's main concern was on how to combine resources and funding for the project.

The meeting came during the aftermath of the closure of the world's first major accelerator, the U.S. Fermilab's Tevatron last week after 26 years in operation, passing the baton to CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

In a statement, the organizers said that "the science of particle physics has reached a decisive moment. Experiments at particle accelerators, together with observations of the cosmos, bring unprecedented opportunities for discovery."

A design team was appointed in 2005 for the ILC and the team is due to report the outline plan by the end of 2012. Construction may follow in 5 to 8 years. Estimated to cost around $6 billion, ICFA is now planning on how to draw in countries for a collaboration on the building and use of high-energy physics accelerators.

Must Read : Discovery of World's Largest Virus in Chile Astounds Scientists