A proposed data center next to the Nashville Zoo is drawing mounting opposition from local residents, elected officials, and country music star Brad Paisley, as Nashville leaders weigh new restrictions on large-scale data center development.
Atlanta-based DC Blox plans to build a 69,000-square-foot data center on land adjacent to the Nashville Zoo. According to public permitting documents, the facility would occupy roughly 1.6 acres under one roof on a 23.5-acre site. The proposal also includes two additional buildings, a substation, and supporting infrastructure. The project is expected to consume at least 50 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 single-family homes.
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The Nashville Zoo has emerged as one of the project’s most vocal opponents, warning that the development could affect animals, visitors, and nearby residents.
“At Nashville Zoo, our top priority is to protect our precious animals and their environment,” the zoo wrote in a statement. “We are equally committed to the health and safety of our visitors, staff and neighbors living nearby. Yet, with no regulations or safeguards in place, DC Blox intends to build a data center on land abutting the zoo. We vehemently oppose the proposed data center and are asking for your support.”
The zoo’s campaign against the project gained national attention after country music star Brad Paisley publicly endorsed efforts to stop the development.
“I heard about the proposed data center that they want to build next to the Nashville Zoo, which is an absolute nightmare scenario,” Paisley said in a video posted to social media over the weekend. “They don’t have the power to build this, they don’t have the water, it doesn’t belong there.”
Paisley described the proposed facility as an “enormous monstrosity” and an “absolute eyesore,” arguing it would detract from both the zoo and the surrounding area. He urged supporters to sign a petition opposing the project, helping drive a surge in signatures to more than 400,000.
The controversy has also prompted action from local officials.
On June 9, the Metro Council advanced an ordinance imposing a temporary moratorium on the acceptance, processing, and approval of zoning, building, and grading permits for data centers throughout Davidson County. The measure could affect at least two major projects currently under consideration: The proposal near the Nashville Zoo and another planned development near Fisk University.
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell has also ordered a broader review of data center development across the city. On Monday, he signed an executive order directing multiple Metro departments to examine the possible effects of large-scale data centers on surrounding communities.
“We don’t want negative impacts of data centers in our neighborhoods,” O’Connell said.
Councilmember Rollin Horton has separately proposed legislation that would prohibit the largest data center projects and establish new standards for future developments.
Opposition to the zoo-adjacent proposal has extended beyond local government. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), a Trump ally and leading candidate in Tennessee’s 2026 gubernatorial race, questioned whether the site is an appropriate location for a major data center complex.
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“Data centers are going to be a good and important part of Tennessee’s economic growth,” Blackburn said. “But we’ve got to be thoughtful about their placement. We’ve got to look at this placement of a data center up against the Nashville Zoo, which is a very important educational resource for our children, and it’s also an important economic engine.”
The debate reached a peak Thursday at a Metropolitan Planning Commission meeting, where more than 150 residents spoke against two proposed data center developments and voiced support for tighter zoning restrictions.
