The Metro Nashville Council on Tuesday approved the plan announced in June by Mayor Freddie O’Connell to seize a property with eminent domain in order to keep it from being converted into a data center, citing its proximity to the Nashville Zoo.
Noting the property was appraised at $37.4 million, and must be reappraised before the process is complete, the ordinance approved by the Metro Council authorizes Metro to acquire the building and about 23 acres of land through either negotiation or condemnation.
The Metro Council passed the ordinance in a 27-5 vote. The five who voted against the legislation were Metro Councilmembers Joy Smith Kimbrough (District 1), Jeff Elisck (District 11), Ginny Welsch (District 16), Brandon Taylor (District 21), and Joy Styles (District 32).
O’Connell previously said the city needed the land for a “variety of needs,” and the ordinance states it would be used “for office, warehouse, training and other uses by various departments, particularly with the impending closure of the Metro Southeast office complex at 1417 Murfreesboro Pike.”
The 1417 Murfreesboro Pike facility is used by multiple city departments, including the Nashville Fire Department and the Nashville Office of Arts and Culture. Public maps suggest it is approximately 15 minutes from the site intended for use as a data center.
According to the commercial real estate listing service, LoopNet, there are at least 30 commercial real estate properties listed for sale or lease in the same postal code as the building the city intends to seize using eminent domain. Of the eight listings of properties for sale, six disclosed prices, and all were below $37.4 million.
Similar searches of the area around Nashville City Hall revealed listings for at least 12 commercial properties. Of the six listed for sale, three disclosed prices, and all were below the $37.4 million appraised value for the property Nashville intends to seize.
The ordinance notably comes weeks after the sale of the property to DC BLOX was finalized. The company previously reported “productive discussions” with O’Connell and officials from the Nashville Zoo.
Styles, who earlier this year announced her bid to challenge O’Connell in the mayoral election, previously warned the mayor’s eminent domain plan was certain to provoke lawsuits.
“There are guaranteed lawsuits to come with this because this is poorly thought out — this is a knee-jerk reaction to the idea that people are livid that this could potentially exist,” said Styles in June, according to WSMV 4. “He’s known about it for months.”
The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) previously sent a letter to the company highlighting their concerns over the fate of the Nashville crayfish if the data center moves forward.
Watch the full Metro Council meeting:
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
