DC Blox, Inc. v. Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County (Nashville Zoo-Area Data Center Moratorium Suit)
DC Blox, Inc. sued Metro Nashville and Davidson County in federal court on August 11, 2026, alleging the city's new data-center zoning restrictions and moratorium were enacted specifically to block DC Blox's already-permitted data center project on more than 23 acres it purchased for $23 million next to the Nashville Zoo. The complaint cites public comments from the mayor and a Metro council member as evidence the moratorium targeted DC Blox's vested project rather than data centers generally, and alleges violations of due process, equal protection, and the takings clause.
Why it matters
The case is a notable test of whether a municipality can use a facially neutral moratorium to halt a specific, previously permitted project once public opposition mounts, and whether prior public statements by officials can be used to prove targeted intent. A ruling for DC Blox would raise the bar for municipalities seeking to slow down data center projects that have already cleared permitting, while a ruling for Metro would reinforce broad local authority to pause a land use category even after individual permits have issued.
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