Nashville Zoo battles 69,000-sq-ft data center plan next to endangered species habitat

What happened

DC BLOX, an Atlanta-based company, is planning to build a data center spanning 69,000 square feet next to the Nashville Zoo, with plans for a second building of 261,000 square feet. The zoo, which houses 3,700 animals including rare species like the endangered clouded leopard and Amur leopard, has filed a zoning appeal and is exploring legal action. A petition against the project has collected more than 533,700 signatures as of Monday afternoon.

Why it matters

The zoo is concerned the data center will irreversibly damage the 350 species it protects and manages in breeding programs. Environmental groups have warned the facility could cause noise and light pollution that disrupts animals' breeding patterns and stress responses, potentially violating federal environmental laws. The conflict reflects broader tension between AI infrastructure growth and local community and environmental concerns.

What to watch

Nashville's Metropolitan Planning Commission recently recommended two bills—one establishing zoning rules for data centers and another instituting a moratorium on new data center projects until rules are in place. The commission will examine both bills during a public hearing on July 7. DC BLOX's lawyer told the planning commission the company already has permits and plans to build.