Data center opposition grows; company addresses concerns

(The Center Square) – Tennessee Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn added her name to the list of those opposed to a proposed data center near the Nashville Zoo.

Atlanta-based DC BLOX is proposing a 70,000-square-foot data center. Blackburn said the placement should be revisited.

“Tennessee should be thoughtful and considerate when deciding where data centers are located,” Blackburn said in a social media post. “The proposed site near the Nashville Zoo is neither.”

Blackburn’s opposition put her on the same side as state Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville. He opposes the project because of its proximity to Fisk University, a private historically black university.

“If it’s not good for a zoo, it’s not good for an HCBU,” Jones said on social media. “If this project was so amazing for universities, Vanderbilt would be building an AI data center on campus.”

The Nashville Zoo launched ...