Crossing Wires
💻 Crowd gathers in support of data center regulations in Nashville · Tales from the Westside: Room For Rent · Fisk defends data center · Much more!
Good afternoon, everyone. It was standing room only as those in favor of data center regulations gathered during yesterday's Planning Commission meeting... Tales from the Westside: Room For Rent... Fisk University defends $400M data center... And much more!
The Rise of Spencer Pratt Join us June 18th for a conversation with filmmaker Gabriel Mann on his work with Spencer Pratt and what's gone into his wildly successful campaign. (Buy Ticket)
New TN U.S. Congressional District lookup Use your address to find your new district here.
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Metro Planning Commission meeting draws historic crowd in favor of proposed data center regulations in Nashville.
From Megan Podsiedlik
Though the commission deferred making a recommendation regarding data center regulations during last night's meeting, the body allowed for a robust public comment period that ran three and a half hours long.
The commission plans to make recommendations on the proposals to ban hyperscale data centers and set guardrails for new data center construction alongside the legislation that would place a temporary freeze on data center permitting during its June 25 meeting.
Data center rep draws jeers The majority of speakers in favor of regulations also expressed opposition to the DC Blox facility proposal adjacent to the Nashville Zoo. Doug Sloan, an attorney representing DC Blox, was visibly distressed when stepping up to the mic in defense of the data center.
“They're receiving death threats from people like this,” Sloan said while defending his employers as he was booed by the crowd.
During his allotted two minutes, Sloan explained that the company is actually in favor of measurable standards to address water usage, noise, and lighting but that “Metro should regulate facilities according to their actual impacts rather than treating all data centers as identical.” The DC Blox attorney also spoke in defense of the company’s use of air cooling and closed-loop cooling systems as well as its extensive noise mitigation measures.
One commentator says those concessions might not be enough.
“I want everyone in here to know that waterless does not mean more sustainable or environmentally friendly,” said an engineer who builds AI accelerator server racks who spoke in support of the regulations. “It means a fully air-cooled system for AI clusters. [Air]-cooled data centers use substantially more grid energy to mitigate the heat than liquid cooling, additional cooling overhead, and more loud outdoor equipment.”
Mayor shows support Dr. Leah Dundon, who serves as the mayor's designee on the commission, informed the body that Mayor Freddie O’Connell supports a moratorium on large-scale data centers while the council establishes much-needed guardrails.
“The mayor's office is looking at what options are available under the law for the mayor and the metro government to implement to protect our air, water, and ratepayers and to keep our neighborhoods and our residents from being negatively impacted by these facilities,” said Dundon.
During discussion, Commissioner Dundon inquired as to whether any parcels in Davidson County could actually meet the requirements under the proposed regulations for data centers or if the legislation would serve as a de facto ban. Lead bill sponsor Councilmember Rollin Horton also asked whether there’s a loophole in his legislation that developers can exploit to build multiple small data centers to get around the regulations on larger ones.
These, and other questions, will be addressed during the commission’s next meeting. Metro Legal also clarified that the new regulations can only be applied once passed. Whether they will ultimately apply to the zoo or Fisk University data center proposals will depend entirely on where the projects are in the permitting application process upon passage.
✹ THE RISE OF SPENCER PRATT
The Rise of Spencer Pratt Filmmaker Gabriel Mann, a California native who fled to Nashville in 2021 and made his name with the wildfire documentary Hotshots, has been behind the scenes for Spencer Pratt's improbable rise from reality-star-turned-aggrieved-homeowner after the Palisades fire destroyed his home to a competitive candidate in LA's mayoral race.
Mann witnessed Pratt's transformation firsthand, starting in the aftermath of the fires, and has produced every one of the groundbreaking campaign ads that've captured the nation. Join us Thursday, June 18, at Bungalow Studios for the inside story.
This event benefits The Pamphleteer, Nashville and is priced with that in mind. Bard-level subscribers receive free admittance.
✹ Room For Rent
The fourth installment in Tales from the Westside
From Rachel Gladstone
A few years ago, I posted an ad on Craigslist, looking for a roommate. The prospect of having to share my charming Victorian with a stranger was not something that thrilled me. But I’d recently gotten a divorce, and my bank account was so empty you could hear the echo of my last two nickels knocking against each other for warmth.
Being a follower of rules, I adhered to the strict warning at the top of the homepage where Craigslist’s do’s and don’ts were posted. Most of them made sense - no soliciting, no foul language. But when I read, “using gender specificity in ads can result in a fine of up to $10,000”, I got kind of freaked out.
I wanted a woman to rent my spare room, not a guy. And if I said so I could be sued by some politically correct nimrod who had no understanding that I wasn’t a bigot but rather, a single woman with a single bathroom I preferred not to share with a strange man and the random facial and pubic hairs that would inevitably turn up on the floor, the toilet and the sink; not to mention the drain in the shower!
✹ METRO COUNCIL WATCH
New Council Watch Features We've added additional features to Council Watch. In addition to who's funding your council member, you can now see how they vote and who they vote with most frequently. (Take a Look)
HEADLINES
- ⌨ Fisk University defends $400M data center. Fisk University is planning to build a $400 million data center and academic facility on its North Nashville campus as part of the university’s larger campus overhaul. Despite broader debate over data centers—particularly centering around the proposal near the Nashville Zoo—Fisk officials continue to defend the university’s desire to move forward with the project. (NBJ)
- 📚 Report: TN students have nearly returned to pre-COVID math achievement. A new Education Scorecard report shows Tennessee students have nearly returned to pre-COVID math achievement levels (ranking second nationally in math gains from 2022–2025) and made notable improvements in reading. State leaders and advocates, including Chelsea Crawford, Executive Director of TennesseeCAN, credit the success to high-quality instructional materials, high-dosage tutoring, professional development, summer learning programs, and a relatively quick return to in-person instruction (The 74)
- 💻Opinion: App store bill aims to protect kids in Tennessee. While Tennessee has led in parental rights for education and healthcare, parents lack strong tools to supervise children's smartphone and tablet use. "[The App Store Accountability Act] creates a needed parental consent barrier between kids and tech companies on the App Store,” says President and Founder of the Dignity Defense Institute Nicole Smith. “The bill would require app stores to securely verify a user’s age during account setup, link parent and child accounts and secure a parent’s sign-off before allowing a minor to download an app or make an in-app purchase.” (Tennessean)
DEVELOPMENT
THINGS TO DO
View our calendar for the week here.
📅 Visit our On The Radar list to find upcoming events around Nashville.
🎧 On Spotify: Pamphleteer's Picks, a playlist of our favorite bands in town this week.
👨🏻🌾 Check out our Nashville farmer's market guide.
TONIGHT
🎸 Billy King and the Bad Bad Bad w/ Shedonist and Father Sunn @ The Basement, 9p, $16.19, Info
🎸 Todd Day Wait @ Skinny Dennis, 9p, $10, Info
🪕 Darren Nicholson Band @ Station Inn, 9p, $25, Info
🎸 Bonnaroo @ Manchester, TN, Info
+ feat. Blood Orange, Wet Leg, The Strokes, Griz, Turnstile, Yungblud and more...
🪕 The Cowpokes @ Acme Feed & Seed, 12p, Free, Info
🎸 Kelley’s Heroes @ Robert’s Western World, 6:30p, Free, Info
SATURDAY
🪕 Breakfield @ Station Inn, 9p, $25, Info
🎸 Timbo & Lonesome Country @ Skinny Dennis, 9p, $10, Info
🎸 Bonnaroo @ Manchester, TN, Info
+ feat. Passion Pit, Rufus Du Sol, Teddy Swims, The Neighborhood and more...
🎸 Kelley’s Heroes @ Robert’s Western World, 6:30p, Free, Info
SUNDAY
🎸 Bonnaroo @ Manchester, TN, Info
+ feat. Noah Kahan, Role Model, Modest Mouse, Japanese Breakfast and more...
🪕 Bluegrass Jam @ Station Inn, 7p, Free, Info
+ a night for musicians and singers from all over the world to gather and enjoy making music together
🪕 Sundays Between with Easy Green @ Tennessee Brew Works, 1p, Info
+ a bluegrass celebration of the music of the Grateful Dead
📰 Check out the full newsletter archive here.
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Today's newsletter is brought to you by Davis Hunt, Megan Podsiedlik, and Camelia Brennan