Zoo Data Center Battle
Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow Lead Fight Against Nashville Zoo Data Center
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Hundreds of thousands of people are fighting to stop a 69,000-square-foot data center from being built next to the Nashville Zoo — and now some of country music's biggest names have joined the fight. Country star Brad Paisley called the project "an absolute nightmare scenario," while singer Sheryl Crow has also publicly backed the zoo's cause, according to USA Today.
The developer, Atlanta-based DC BLOX, received approved permits for a facility at 648 Grassmere Park — just 50 yards from animal enclosures. As of June 10, 2026, the opposition petition had surpassed 375,000 signatures, TechRadar reported. The Metro Council passed a temporary data center moratorium on first reading the same day.
How a Permit Filing Triggered a Public Firestorm
Residents discovered DC BLOX's permit filings in late May 2026. The Nashville Zoo quickly launched a Change.org petition on June 4, which gathered 160,000 signatures in just 48 hours, according to USA Today. The zoo had been in talks with landowner MarketStreet Enterprises to buy the same parcel for an education and conservation center. The DC BLOX permit filing effectively killed those plans.
Brad Paisley posted a viral video on June 8 warning that the facility "doesn't have the power to build this, they don't have the water." Environmental activist Erin Brockovich joined the coalition on June 10. She has made the Nashville fight part of her national "Data Center Land Rush" campaign, warning that "most people don't know they're coming until it's too late," according to The Oklahoman.
Endangered Animals Face Noise, Light, and Water Threats
The Nashville Zoo houses 3,000 animals across 350 species, including several endangered animals. Zoo CEO Rick Schwartz says the animals are "very sensitive to mechanical noises and light infiltration." Experts warn that infrasound — low-frequency vibration from large cooling fans — could disrupt the breeding of Clouded Leopards, a signature species at the zoo, according to Courier Journal.
The power demands are staggering. The facility could consume up to 50 megawatts of electricity — enough to power 30,000 to 50,000 homes. Traditional cooling methods could use up to 7 million gallons of fresh water per day. DC BLOX says it will use "closed-loop or waterless cooling" to limit water use, but the zoo fears damage to its watershed regardless, according to Indianapolis Star.
DC BLOX Pushes Back, Calls Itself a Quiet Neighbor
DC BLOX CEO Jeff Uphues and his company maintain the project will be a "good neighbor." The company says it operates data centers near schools, daycare centers, and businesses across the Southeast with no health problems. "The facility will not be an AI factory placing a burden on local resources," the company said in a statement, according to Cincinnati Enquirer.
The company also notes the project would bring roughly 25 high-tech jobs to the area. Critics argue that is a poor trade-off for a zoo that draws 1.4 million visitors each year. Metro Councilmember Courtney Johnston, who filed a zoning appeal to block the permits, accused DC BLOX of "operating in bad faith" and trying to rush approvals before Nashville could write new rules, according to Tallahassee Democrat.
Nashville Scrambles to Write Rules It Never Had
Until recently, Nashville had no specific zoning code for data centers. Developers could classify them as general industrial or commercial projects. Metro Councilmember Rollin Horton introduced Bill BL2026-1391 on May 26 to create strict zoning definitions and setbacks for data centers in Davidson County. The bill passed its first reading on June 2, according to Detroit Free Press.
The temporary moratorium passed on June 10 gives the city time to rewrite its rules. But the city faces a legal bind: DC BLOX followed the existing laws to get its permits. A retroactive rule change could trigger costly litigation. The conflict has already spread beyond Nashville — Knoxville, Cedar Hill, and McMinnville have all considered or passed their own data center moratoriums, according to Democrat and Chronicle.
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