A proposed data centre project in Nashville, Tennessee, is facing renewed opposition after the Nashville Zoo raised concerns that the facility's proximity could adversely affect animals, including clouded leopards involved in conservation and breeding programmes. This dispute emerges as data centres across the United States increasingly encounter resistance from local communities worried about noise, resource consumption, and environmental impacts. In Nashville, those concerns have now expanded to include the welfare of zoo animals.
Project Details and Zoo Concerns
The project, proposed by Atlanta-based data centre operator DC BLOX, involves constructing a 69,000-square-foot facility on land adjacent to the Nashville Zoo. According to zoo officials, the building would be located roughly 50 yards from some animal habitats. 'We are vehemently opposed to having a data centre so close to animals,' Nashville Zoo President and CEO Rick Schwartz said in a phone interview.
This week, the zoo launched an online petition opposing the project. The petition had gathered more than 180,000 signatures and over 25,000 shares on Facebook. It calls on city officials to intervene to protect what it describes as 'one of the most fragile and rare collections of animals in the country.'
Impact on Clouded Leopards
Schwartz said one of his primary concerns involves the zoo's clouded leopard conservation efforts. Native to Southeast Asia, clouded leopards are classified as a vulnerable species, and the Nashville Zoo has been involved in breeding programmes aimed at helping sustain the population. According to Schwartz, mechanical sounds, electrical hums, and other operational noise from the facility could disrupt animal behaviour and breeding patterns. He also raised concerns that artificial lighting from the site would affect animals' well-being. 'I understand the data centre may be necessary because of the growth of Nashville. There are better areas to do it instead of next to a zoo and children,' he said.
The Nashville Zoo, located about six miles southeast of downtown Nashville, spans 188 acres and houses more than 3,700 animals representing over 350 species. The facility welcomed approximately 1.4 million visitors last year.
Political and Community Response
The project has also become a political issue within the city. Courtney Johnston, a member of the Metropolitan Council whose district includes the zoo, said residents have flooded her office with messages expressing concern about the proposal. 'I'm getting phone calls. I'm getting emails. All of my social media. Text messages. The community is speaking,' Johnston said. She has filed a zoning appeal and plans to ask the council to consider a temporary moratorium on new data centre projects while regulations are reviewed. Johnston argued that Nashville currently lacks zoning rules and building regulations specifically tailored to data centres. 'In my opinion, they've operated in bad faith, and they're trying to rush something that they believe Nashville can't regulate at the moment,' she said.
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell has also expressed reservations about the proposal. 'We have a lot of concerns about the project and have our legal department looking into it,' he told reporters.
DC BLOX's Response
DC BLOX has said it understands the concerns raised by residents and zoo officials and plans to work with local stakeholders to address them. 'DC BLOX understands and appreciates the concerns that have been raised about our newly proposed data centre in Nashville near the zoo,' the company said in a statement. The company added that it would work with local officials, community members, and the zoo 'to minimise local impacts and to assure that there will be no health risks to residents or animals.'
DC BLOX also sought to distance the project from concerns surrounding large AI-focused facilities. The company said the proposed site 'would not be an AI factory placing a burden on local resources and is proposed on a site that had previously operated a data centre.' It further stated that the facility would use closed-loop or waterless cooling systems, pay for any power and infrastructure requirements associated with the project, and commit to maintaining noise levels within regulatory limits.
Despite those assurances, opposition continues to grow as residents, local officials, and zoo representatives question whether the project is suitable for a location next to one of Nashville's major animal conservation facilities.
