Nashville Zoo warns proposed data center next door could put its 3,000 animals at risk [View all]
Source: Scripps News/AP
Posted 3:21 PM, Jun 08, 2026
The Nashville Zoo is pushing back against a proposal to build a nearly 70,000-square-foot data center on the edge of its property in South Nashville, warning the project could harm thousands of animals — including some of the rarest in the world.
DC Blox, the company behind the proposal, wants to build the facility in the Grassmere Business Park, directly adjacent to the zoo property. An online petition against the project has gathered more than 180,000 signatures. Nashville Zoo CEO Rick Schwartz said the facility's potential light and noise pollution pose a serious threat to the zoo's 3,000 animals.
"We have some of the most delicate and rarest animals in the world, specifically our clouded leopard, which is our signature species. We've bred more than anyone else in the world. We just had our 50th baby born, and they're very sensitive to mechanical noises and light infiltration," Schwartz said.
Schwartz said DC Blox has not engaged with the zoo about its concerns. He is calling on the public to get involved before the city makes a final decision.
Read more: https://www.scrippsnews.com/science-and-tech/nashville-zoo-warns-proposed-data-center-next-door-could-put-its-3-000-animals-at-risk
= new reply since forum marked as read