BIRMINGHAM — Alabama’s oldest and largest humane society has asked a Jefferson County judge to decide whether the city of Birmingham improperly approved plans for a hyperscale AI data center next to the animal welfare campus the nonprofit hopes to build in Oxmoor Valley.
What the lawsuit says
The Greater Birmingham Humane Society (GBHS) filed its complaint Friday in Jefferson County Circuit Court against the City of Birmingham and two entities tied to Nebius Inc.: Alabama ADC Holdings, LLC and 201 Milan Birmingham, LLC. The case was assigned to Circuit Court Judge Brendette Brown Green, and GBHS is seeking a jury trial.
GBHS says legal questions remain about how the Nebius project was approved and that those questions should be answered in court. The nonprofit purchased land in Oxmoor Valley in 2021 and began fundraising last fall for a multi-building campus that would expand its services.
Planned campus and potential impacts
GBHS says the campus would provide expanded services for animals and the people who care for them. The organization has outlined plans that include:
- expanded veterinary care
- training and rehabilitation facilities
- foster and transport programs
The Nebius site is described in court filings as immediately adjacent to the GBHS property, and GBHS leaders say public knowledge of the scope of the proposed AI facility materially impaired the nonprofit’s capital campaign earlier this year.
Responses and representation
GBHS President and CEO Allison Black Cornelius emphasized the seriousness of the decision to sue. She said the organization does not take the step lightly and framed the suit as a necessary measure to protect the campus plans that the humane society has worked toward for nearly a decade.
"This lawsuit is not a step we take lightly. For nearly a decade, we have worked to build a campus that will serve animals and the people who love them for generations to come. We believe important legal questions remain about how this project was approved, and we believe those questions deserve to be answered by the courts."
GBHS is represented in the case by local attorneys Brian Cash and Wade Merritt of Spain & Gillon, LLC in Birmingham. Nebius’s spokesman, John Sutter, told reporters,
"We don’t comment on pending litigation."
Where things stand
The complaint was filed Friday afternoon and assigned to Judge Brown Green. The humane society is asking a jury to consider the legal questions it has raised about the city’s process and the approvals tied to Nebius affiliates. City spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment at the time of reporting.
| Party | Role |
|---|---|
| Greater Birmingham Humane Society | Plaintiff; nonprofit seeking to build Oxmoor Valley campus |
| City of Birmingham | Defendant; approved Nebius-related project |
| Alabama ADC Holdings, LLC / 201 Milan Birmingham, LLC | Defendants; affiliates tied to Nebius Inc. |
The dispute highlights competing interests around development in Oxmoor Valley: a long-delayed nonprofit project meant to expand animal care alongside a large-scale tech infrastructure development. For Birmingham residents, the outcome could affect fundraising and construction timelines for a community resource and shape how similar projects are reviewed in the future.
Reporting will continue as court filings and responses become public and as local officials and Nebius provide further comment.
