DC Blox has officially purchased the property near the Nashville Zoo where it plans to build a proposed data center, moving the controversial project forward despite ongoing opposition, Axios reports.
The company closed Thursday on the 23.49-acre property, purchasing it from MarketStreet for $23 million. According to attorney Doug Sloan, who represents DC Blox, the company notified Nashville Zoo officials before the sale was finalized. DC Blox has also submitted a new building permit application as the property’s owner.
The proposed 10-megawatt data center has sparked significant public opposition in recent months. Zoo leaders have raised concerns that noise from the facility could disturb or potentially harm animals, while residents have also voiced objections to the project.
The sale comes despite hopes from opponents that DC Blox would abandon the project following mounting public criticism and government challenges.
MarketStreet entered into the sales agreement before the controversy surrounding the proposed data center intensified. A company representative said it did not have the authority to stop the sale on its own.
The project still faces several obstacles before construction can begin.
The Metro Council is expected to vote next week on two measures that would temporarily halt new data center projects and establish new regulations for future facilities. It remains unclear whether those rules would apply to the DC Blox proposal since it was already underway before the legislation was introduced.
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