DC Blox data center next to the Nashville Zoo
Also called: DC BLOX Nashville Campus
DC Blox bought a 23-acre site next to the Nashville Zoo for about $23 million and wants to build a 10-megawatt data center there. The zoo and hundreds of thousands of petition signers oppose it. Metro Council voted to let the city buy or take the land, and DC Blox has sued the city.
Where things stand: Blocked for now: Metro's data center pause runs through December 2026, Metro Council voted to allow buying or taking the land, and DC Blox sued Metro in August 2026.
🕒 Latest update (Aug 4, 2026): Metro Council voted 27-5 to let Metro negotiate for the 23.49-acre site or take it by eminent domain.
What we know
- 📍 Where648 Grassmere Park, South Nashville, next to the Nashville Zoo parking lot (geocoded with the Census geocoder), Nashville-Davidson Metro, Davidson County
- 🏢 CompanyDC Blox
- 🌳 Size23.49 acres
- ⚡ Power it needs10 megawatts (about as much as 8,000 homes)
❓ Still unanswered
Nobody has answered these in public yet. Can you help find out?
- What will a court decide in the DC Blox lawsuit against Metro? 🙋 I'll find out
- Will Metro buy or take the land, and for how much? 🙋 I'll find out
- How big was the larger expansion DC Blox planned? 🙋 I'll find out
What happened so far
- June 2, 2026The Nashville Zoo said it is 'vehemently opposed' to a planned data center next to its parking lot.
- July 2026Metro Council passed Nashville's first data center rules and a pause on new data centers through December.
- July 2026The zoo's board rejected a DC Blox offer to build only the smaller data center and give up a larger expansion.
- Aug 2026DC Blox sued Metro, saying its permits had already vested and the pause was unlawful.
- Aug 4, 2026Metro Council voted 27-5 to let Metro negotiate for the 23.49-acre site or take it by eminent domain.
Local votes and rules
⚖️ Court case
DC Blox sued Metro Nashville in federal court. The company says its permits were already approved (vested) before the data center pause, and that Metro unfairly targeted its project near the Nashville Zoo. Metro says it acted lawfully and will defend the case.
📌 Other
Metro Council voted 27-5 to let Metro buy, or take by eminent domain, the 23.49-acre DC Blox data center site next to the Nashville Zoo. Metro must first get an appraisal and is not required to buy. If the two sides cannot agree on a price, a judge decides.
📜 Data center rules
Metro Council passed Nashville's first data center zoning rules and a pause on new data center permits until December 1, 2026. The rules ban the biggest data centers (over 500,000 square feet), keep data centers in heavy industrial zones, add buffer zones near homes, schools, parks and zoos, and ban on-site gas turbines.
An aerial photo of the area.
Where this comes from
- Nashville Zoo says it's 'vehemently opposed' to proposed data center in South Nashville · WSMV · June 2, 2026
- Nashville Zoo rejects DC Blox proposal for smaller data center next to zoo · WVLT / Gray News · July 24, 2026
- Nashville Zoo data center: What comes next after Metro Council's vote for eminent domain · WSMV · Aug 5, 2026
- DC Blox sues Metro over Nashville Zoo-area data center moratorium · WSMV · Aug 12, 2026
- Metro Council approves eminent domain to acquire land near Nashville Zoo from data center company · NewsChannel 5 · Aug 2026
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