NASHVILLE — The Nashville Zoo filed a zoning appeal and initiated a petition to oppose a proposed data center from DC BLOX planned for a site adjacent to its property. As of Monday afternoon in June 2026, the petition had collected more than 533,700 signatures.

The zoo stated concerns about the data center's potential effects on its animals, many of which are protected species. A land use attorney representing the Nashville Zoo filed a zoning appeal with the city to overturn permits submitted by DC BLOX. The zoo is also exploring legal action regarding the protected species it houses, working with an environmental rights lawyer for this purpose.

DC BLOX, an Atlanta-based company, plans an initial 69,000 square-foot data center facility, with an additional 261,000 square-foot building planned for future construction. A DC BLOX spokesperson stated that the data center being built in Nashville is designed to function as a digital connectivity hub.

Country music star Brad Paisley supports the Nashville Zoo's opposition to the data center, urging his fans in a series of social media videos to oppose the project. "Look, Nashville, we got to fight this. We have to set a precedent, because if we can win this and we can stop that from happening where we don't want it, it's a precedent that will help other communities," Paisley said in a followup video last week. Earlier this month, he called the proposed data center "an enormous monstrosity" and "an absolute eyesore," and encouraged his followers to sign the zoo's petition opposing it. Musicians Jack White and Morgane Stapleton commented in support of Paisley's Instagram post, while Sheryl Crow and Brandon Lake stated they would sign the petition.

A DC BLOX spokesperson acknowledged Paisley's social media criticism. The spokesperson attributed the ability of artists like Paisley to distribute and stream music globally to digital infrastructure. DC BLOX's chief revenue officer and executive vice president stated the zoo's location is in an area already designated for industrial use; the property previously housed a smaller data center.

The Center for Biological Diversity and the Southern Environmental Law Center sent a joint letter to DC BLOX and the Nashville city council last week, expressing support for the Nashville Zoo. The Nashville Zoo, which opened in its current location in 1997, houses more than 3,700 animals across 350 different species. It also maintains a breeding program for the endangered clouded leopard and houses the Amur leopard, with fewer than 200 remaining in the wild. Mayuree, a clouded leopard born at the zoo in 2026, is currently about the size of a loaf of bread.

Why It Matters

The proposed construction of a data center adjacent to the Nashville Zoo has generated opposition due to concerns about its potential impact on protected animal species. The zoo's actions, including a zoning appeal, exploration of legal options, and a large public petition, indicate an organized effort to prevent the data center's development. This situation represents a conflict between urban development for digital infrastructure, which DC BLOX states is essential for central Tennessee's digital needs, and environmental conservation, particularly regarding wildlife habitats and breeding programs for endangered species.