NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Nashville Zoo has launched a petition opposing a proposed data center planned next to zoo property.
The petition, created June 3, had reached more than 150,000 verified signatures as of Friday afternoon.
According to Metro permit records, developers are seeking to build a 69,220-square-foot DC Blox data center at 648 Grassmere Park, directly adjacent to Nashville Zoo property.
Tennessee is home to 61 data centers, according to Data Center Map. Data centers help power web applications, cloud services, and artificial intelligence.
In the petition, the zoo said there are not enough safeguards or environmental studies publicly available to reassure the community that the facility would not harm animals, visitors or nearby neighborhoods. In a statement released Friday, zoo officials said their concerns center on the proximity of the proposed facility to animal habitats and potential long-term effects tied to noise, lighting, water quality and infrastructure demands.
“At Nashville Zoo, our top priority is to protect our precious animals and their environment,” the petition states. “We are equally committed to the health and safety of our visitors, staff, and neighbors living nearby.”
The zoo said data centers consume large amounts of electricity and water, raising concerns about strain on natural resources and possible environmental impacts.
“No one has shared studies or environmental impact assessments. Just their word,” the petition states.
The zoo also questioned what impact the proposed facility could have on the zoo’s roughly 3,000 animals and 1.4 million annual visitors.
“We cannot afford to find out years from now how this facility has negatively impacted our 1.4 million visitors, our local community, or the 3,000 animals entrusting us with their care,” the petition states.
In a statement released Friday, Nashville Zoo thanked supporters for what it called an “extraordinary outpouring of public support.”
“The response from our community has been remarkable,” Nashville Zoo President and CEO Rick Schwartz said. “We are incredibly thankful for the passionate support we've received from people who value Nashville Zoo not only as a destination for families, but as a place dedicated to conservation, education, and the protection of wildlife.”
“The public's response demonstrates how much this Zoo means to Middle Tennessee,” Schwartz said. “The support of our petition and the responses to all of these articles will carry a heavy weight in our continued conversations with local and state leadership to stop this data center from being built here.”
The petition includes comments from supporters opposing the project.
“I live by the backside of the zoo property. I love hearing the gibbons hooting and screaming in the day,” one supporter identified as Samantha from Murfreesboro wrote. “Our neighbor does not want or need a data center. We have families, pets and zoo critters that call Nashville home. Help us keep our neighborhood peace.”
Another supporter, Piper from Antioch, wrote: “Putting a data center that uses up essential natural resources for life anywhere is disgusting. Putting a data center that uses up essential natural resources for life next to a zoo where hordes of innocent animals live is inhumane.”
The petition calls on city leaders and community members to oppose the construction of the proposed facility adjacent to the zoo.
Concerns over data centers have grown across Middle Tennessee. Nashville leaders are currently considering new zoning restrictions tied to proximity to neighborhoods, parks and the zoo, while some smaller communities have moved to temporarily halt future projects altogether. Residents in Lawrenceburg and Cedar Hill have also raised concerns about environmental impacts, water usage and transparency surrounding proposed developments.
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