A proposed data center development next to the Nashville Zoo in Tennessee is drawing even more outrage after newly uncovered plans revealed a second facility that would be nearly three times larger than the first.
According to reporting from WSMV, permit documents show Atlanta-based DC Blox is not only seeking approval for a 69,000-square-foot, 10-megawatt data center, but also a separate three-story, 202,000-square-foot, 40-megawatt facility on the same office park property bordering the zoo.
The expanded plans have intensified an already heated debate across Tennessee. More than 360,000 people have reportedly signed a petition opposing the project, while zoo officials have filed a zoning appeal in an effort to stop the development.
The Nashville Zoo’s petition argues that the facility could pose risks to animals, visitors, staff, and nearby residents. The organization says developers have not provided sufficient evidence demonstrating that the project would have no environmental impact on one of the region’s most sensitive wildlife environments.
Public reaction has been overwhelmingly negative. Over on Reddit’s r/Nashville community, one comment described the proposal as “just cartoonishly evil.” Another user questioned why such a facility would be located near a major urban attraction, asking, “What is the appeal of putting it in the middle of a city area?”
Others expressed frustration with what they see as corporate interests overriding local concerns.
“It’s feels like we have completely lost control to the billionaire class,” one commenter wrote.
Residents and Zoo Supporters Push Back
Opposition to data centers has been growing throughout Tennessee in recent months, with communities in Nashville, Gallatin, Knoxville, McMinnville, and elsewhere debating new regulations and temporary moratoriums.
Critics argue that large data centers can place significant demands on local infrastructure. Environmental groups and community advocates frequently point to their substantial electricity consumption, potential water usage requirements, noise generated by backup systems, and strain on power grids. These concerns have become even more pronounced as AI-related computing demands continue to rise.
The Nashville Zoo echoed many of those fears in its petition, warning that data centers can consume enormous amounts of energy and resources while creating unknown long-term risks for nearby ecosystems.
Residents living near the zoo also voiced concerns to WSMV about potential noise and the lack of specific zoning rules governing AI-focused data center developments.
DC Blox has attempted to address some of those concerns. The company previously stated that it plans to minimize environmental impacts through a closed-loop or waterless cooling design and says it intends to comply with local and federal noise regulations.
However, for many opponents, those assurances have not been enough. As Nashville officials consider new citywide data center regulations and an emergency proposal that could temporarily halt new developments, the fight over the zoo-adjacent project is rapidly becoming one of Tennessee’s most contentious growth battles.
