Elon Musk took heat at chaotic Memphis data center moratorium vote
A packed Memphis City Council meeting on Tuesday became disorderly as attendees opposed the local data center footprint of Elon Musk’s company. Police responded after shouting broke out, and a fight was reported in the City Hall lobby.
The council was considering a 12-month pause on data center development. Before the vote, councilman JB Smiley Jr. asked residents who backed the proposal to stand; nearly everyone in attendance did.
Protesters displayed signs calling for a moratorium and prioritizing residents over wealthy business owners. A person with a bullhorn led a chant, while cellphone footage showed activists shouting at council members.
The council voted to delay consideration of the moratorium, according to footage shared online. The article does not say when the proposal will return for a vote.
SpaceX, Musk’s rocket and AI company, runs two large data center sites in the Memphis area and is building a third. The company, which acquired xAI earlier this year, did not respond to a request for comment before publication.
Key points
- Memphis council delayed a proposed 12-month data center moratorium.
- Residents protested SpaceX’s Memphis facilities at a chaotic council meeting.
- SpaceX operates two local data centers and is developing another.