Memphis City Council Rejects 18 Month Data Center Pause

Oct 21, 2026
The Memphis City Council deadlocked on a proposal to pause new data centers and expansions for 18 months while officials develop regulations.

The Memphis City Council deadlocked 6 to 6 on a proposed 18 month moratorium on new data centers and expansions, causing the measure to fail, according to Newsweek.

The proposal would have paused projects while a committee developed regulations. Existing facilities operating legally would have remained open. Mayor Paul Young is separately conducting a 90 day review of possible rules for large data centers.

The dispute centers on Elon Musk's SpaceX AI operation and its Colossus computing facilities. Nearby residents have raised concerns about air quality, water and power use, noise, and gas powered turbines.

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