Nashville mayor: BNA expansion drives eminent domain push for data center site
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell is pursuing eminent domain to acquire the Grassmere Park property, currently eyed by DC Blox for a data center, due to a need for municipal space related to a Nashville International Airport runway expansion. This move aims to prevent the controversial data center project, which faces significant public opposition, and allow the land to be used for city facilities. Simultaneously, Metro Council is advancing legislation to impose a temporary moratorium on data centers and regulate future facilities in Nashville.
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell's administration has filed legislation to acquire the Grassmere Park property near the Nashville Zoo through eminent domain. This decision, announced during a weekly press conference, is driven by the Federal Aviation Administration's approval of Nashville International Airport's runway expansion, which necessitates the relocation of existing Metro facilities currently situated in the impacted area. Mayor O'Connell stated that this creates an urgent need for the city to relocate services and warehouses, asserting that the city has a valid public use for the land.
The targeted property is currently where data center developer DC BLOX is attempting to secure permits for a controversial project that has sparked widespread public opposition. Opponents, including hundreds who spoke out at a recent Marathon City Council meeting, expressed concerns about potential environmental impacts such as air and water quality near residential areas and the Nashville Zoo. The mayor's eminent domain push is seen as a move to prevent the data center from being built at this location.
In response to the ongoing controversy, the Metro Council has advanced three bills aimed at addressing data center development. These include a proposed temporary moratorium on all new data centers in Nashville and a bill to establish future regulations for such facilities. While DC BLOX maintains its proposed facility would have minimal impact on resources like water and power, and cause less disturbance than other nearby buildings, the city is moving forward with its plan to acquire the land, potentially for uses like a health clinic. Metro Law Director Wally Dietz emphasized the legal basis for the eminent domain action, stating the city is prepared to defend it in court.