Brad Paisley backs petition to block data center near Nashville Zoo

Brad Paisley put celebrity pressure behind a fight that had already turned into a local land-use battle: a proposed 69,220-square-foot DC Blox data center at 648 Grassmere Park, directly beside the Nashville Zoo’s parking lot and about 50 yards from the animals. The project also called for demolishing two existing office buildings on the 23.5-acre site, sharpening concerns about what AI-era infrastructure can mean when it lands next to homes, wildlife and public space.

The zoo launched a petition on June 3, 2026, and the response surged quickly. It topped 150,000 verified signatures within about three days, passed 160,000 by June 6, and had climbed to nearly 313,000 by June 8. Paisley boosted that effort in a social media video, calling the proposal an “absolute nightmare scenario” and describing the facility as an “enormous monstrosity” and an “eyesore.”

Zoo leaders said the stakes went far beyond aesthetics. Nashville Zoo cares for roughly 3,000 animals and draws about 1.4 million visitors a year, and officials warned that the project could bring long-term effects tied to noise, lighting, water quality and the heavy utility demands that often accompany large data centers. They said they had not seen publicly available environmental studies or impact assessments that would ease worries about harm to animals, guests or nearby neighborhoods.

The pushback also reflected a broader anxiety in South Nashville about how fast data centers are spreading and who bears the costs. Glencliff Neighbors of South Nashville Vice President Tony Zavitson said residents were worried about noise, water, power and stormwater strain, along with the lack of environmental and utility studies. The Nashville Zoo also pointed to Tennessee’s existing data-center footprint, saying the state already had dozens of facilities, including one report that counted 61 statewide.

Metro leaders began weighing whether existing rules were enough for the new wave of industrial development. Mayor Freddie O’Connell said the Metro Law Department was reviewing the proposal and noted that the permit situation was unusual because a non-owner appeared to be applying. Metro Councilmember Rollin Horton introduced legislation to regulate and restrict certain data centers in Nashville, including a ban on facilities larger than 50,000 square feet and setback requirements of at least a half-mile from homes, schools and zoos. The measure passed on first reading June 2 and still needed two more readings.

DC Blox said it understood the concerns raised about the project near the zoo, while developers have said the center would have no impact on zoo operations. Across Tennessee, though, local resistance has been mounting, and McMinnville residents recently approved an 18-month moratorium on data centers within city limits, underscoring how communities are now deciding where digital growth ends and neighborhood disruption begins.