Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow join fight against data center near Nashville Zoo

Hundreds of thousands of people, including country music stars Brad Paisley and Sheryl Crow, are actively opposing the construction of a 69,000-square-foot data center by DC BLOX adjacent to the Nashville Zoo.

The Nashville Zoo has voiced strong concerns that the project, which is planned to consume at least 50 megawatts of power, would significantly strain local power grids, deplete natural resources, and damage its watershed. Additionally, the zoo fears that noise and light pollution from the facility could adversely affect the well-being of its more than 3,000 animals, including endangered species involved in breeding programs. Over 380,000 individuals have signed the zoo's Change.org petition against the development, with Paisley describing it as a "nightmare scenario" and an "eyesore."

DC BLOX, a Georgia-based digital infrastructure provider, has responded to the concerns, stating that the proposed facility is designed as a communications center, not an AI factory. The company asserts that it operates data centers near residential and educational areas without complaints and plans to implement waterless cooling designs, manage noise levels, shield light fixtures, and adhere to all environmental regulations. The zoo, however, has filed a zoning appeal with the city to overturn the data center's already-approved permits.

A University of Pennsylvania researcher, Joe Romm, compared the experience of being near a data center to living beside a loud highway due to constant humming from cooling equipment. Jennifer D'Agostino, chief animal program officer at the Oklahoma City Zoo, emphasized the need for due diligence before any potential damage to wildlife occurs. A public hearing regarding the project is scheduled for June 11 in Nashville by the Planning Commission.