DC Blox has officially closed on the 23-acre property sitting next to the Nashville Zoo, but that doesn’t mean a data center is coming anytime soon. Multiple sources confirmed the sale to WSMV4, kicking off a legal and regulatory fight that could decide whether the tech company ever breaks ground.
Owning the land is only the first step. DC Blox still needs permits, and both city and state rules could get in the way. Drew Small, a nearby resident who has spent weeks digging into the process, put it simply: the project is far from finished. According to Small, nothing is set in stone until construction actually starts, and that point is still a long way off.
Nashville’s Metro Council is set to take its third and final vote Tuesday on new regulations that would restrict where data centers can be built across the city. Those rules would kick in immediately once passed. If DC Blox hasn’t secured the right permits before that vote, the new ordinance could shut the door on building at the zoo-adjacent site entirely.
That’s where state law adds a wrinkle. A Tennessee law passed last year lets property owners lock in their development rights the moment they file a “substantially compliant” permit application, not when the city actually approves it. That means DC Blox could try to beat the clock, submitting a detailed site plan before Tuesday’s vote takes effect and arguing it should be governed by the rules in place at the time of filing.
It’s an approach that hasn’t been tested in court, and Small says that uncertainty is part of what makes this moment critical. He believes public pressure could shape the outcome, pointing to how engaged residents and elected officials have historically pushed back on projects like this once attention builds.
For now, the parties directly involved are staying quiet. DC Blox told WSMV4 it has no comment and would not confirm the sale closed. Nashville attorney Doug Sloan, who represents the company, did not respond to a request for comment. The Nashville Zoo issued a statement saying it remains focused on protecting the wellbeing of the zoo and the surrounding community despite the news. Metro’s deeds office said it’s aware of the sale but hadn’t yet received the filed deed, noting that step can take a closing attorney days or even weeks to complete.
With the council vote just days away, the coming week could determine whether DC Blox’s new property becomes a data center or stays in legal limbo.