A controversial proposal to build a data center larger than a football field adjacent to the Nashville Zoo has ignited a political firestorm in Nashville, with more than 160,000 people signing a petition against the project in just two days. The plan, filed by DC Blox, would place a 69,220-square-foot facility steps from the zoo, raising alarms about noise, infrastructure strain, and a lack of environmental review.
“They picked the wrong community to put any kind of data center,” said Tony Zavitson, vice president of Glencliff Neighbors of South Nashville. “Nobody asked for this. Nobody wants this.” Zavitson emphasized that residents feel steamrolled by the process, noting that the developer appears to be moving forward without an environmental impact study or detailed estimates of energy and water usage.
The petition’s rapid growth reflects deep unease in a city already grappling with a surge in data center development. According to the Data Center Map, Nashville is home to more than two dozen data centers, and the new proposal has drawn comparisons to other contentious projects across the country. In Monterey Park, voters recently approved the first U.S. data center ban, signaling a growing backlash against the industry’s infrastructure demands.
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell (D) has weighed in, telling News 2 that the Metro Law Department is reviewing the permit applications. O’Connell pointed out an unusual aspect: the applicant is not the property owner. “It looks like there are some scenarios with recent changes in state law that allow for vesting of property rights to occur earlier in the applicants’ process,” he said. “This one seems particularly unusual in that a non-owner of the property seems to be applying for a building permit.”
O’Connell contrasted the DC Blox proposal with the recently announced Fisk University data center project, which he said came with a clear power source and greater transparency. “What Fisk does will be very consistent with the approach that Metro takes overall,” he added. The mayor’s comments suggest a preference for community-centered development over the opaque process residents say has characterized the zoo-area plan.
Residents worry about the facility’s impact on zoo animals, citing potential noise pollution, as well as the strain on already overtaxed water, power, and stormwater systems. “Electric and water pressure are issues over here, and we want to know if that’s going to cause more problems for us,” Zavitson said.
The opposition has drawn parallels to other data center controversies nationally. In Utah, Kevin O’Leary agreed to slim down a proposed AI data center amid a political firestorm, while Illinois and Colorado have seen swipe fee reforms stall as Congress weighs a national solution. The Nashville fight, however, is unique in its proximity to a major zoo and the sheer speed of public backlash.
DC Blox did not respond to requests for comment by publication time. The Nashville Zoo has joined residents in demanding answers, and Zavitson urged even non-Davidson County residents to sign the petition. “That’s the biggest thing we can do here is come together and ask and hold them accountable and have them give us the information that we need,” he said.
