Nashville mayor uses eminent domain to block data center near zoo
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell plans to file eminent domain legislation to acquire land and block a proposed DC BLOX data center near the Nashville Zoo. This action follows public opposition and Metro's Planning Commission backing new restrictions. DC BLOX maintains its project addresses concerns and will move forward.
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell announced plans to file eminent domain legislation to stop the construction of a proposed data center by DC BLOX adjacent to the Nashville Zoo. The mayor's decision responds to widespread concerns from neighbors, families, and zoo supporters regarding the planned development.
O'Connell stated he would file "condemnation legislation" to enable Metro to acquire the property for public use, emphasizing his shared concerns about the site's intended purpose. This development follows months of community pushback and a recent move by Metro's Planning Commission, which backed new restrictions that could halt data center construction in the vicinity of the zoo.
DC BLOX, the company behind the project, has already acquired the land. Company attorney Doug Sloan argued that the data center's design incorporates measures to mitigate noise and reduce water usage, asserting that the project will proceed regardless of new legal or regulatory challenges. Councilmember Courtney Johnston described eminent domain as a necessary tool, commending the collaborative efforts to address the project, while the Nashville Zoo celebrated the mayor's announcement. The condemnation legislation is slated to go before the Metro Council, with a public hearing on the proposed data center and related legislation scheduled for July 7.