Box Elder County Data Center Debate Intensifies as Foes, Supporters Trade Barbs
O'Leary says he is investigating whether the groups behind the protests are financed by China as more than 2,300 filings challenge the project.
- Investor Kevin O'Leary accused two Utah groups opposing his proposed Stratos Project data center of being funded by the Chinese government during an interview on Fox News, targeting Alliance for a Better Utah and Elevate Strategies.
- Box Elder County Commissioners unanimously approved the 40,000-acre data center project on May 4, despite fierce local opposition regarding water requirements and rural land conversion in the Hansel Valley area.
- Critics question the project's projected economic benefits, noting permanent job estimates vary significantly from O'Leary's initial claims, while University of Southern California researchers warn of massive energy consumption and ecological risks.
- Opponents filed two referendum applications on Monday to overturn the commission's approval, with groups awaiting legal review; Box Elder County officials have 20 days to review the petitions, which require more than 5,000 signatures.
- A final development agreement is expected to be signed in the next month or so, though O'Leary Ventures remains in early talks with potential tenants, leaving the project's ultimate viability uncertain amid ongoing public opposition.
13 Articles
13 Articles
5 things to know about MIDA as it works to usher in a massive data center
Community members protest ahead of a special Box Elder County Commission meeting to discuss the "Stratos" project, a massive data center proposed for an unincorporated area in Box Elder County on May 4, 2026 (Alixel Cabrera/Utah News Dispatch)Utah’s plan to bring a 40,000-acre data center near the shores of the Great Salt Lake is shining a spotlight on the independent state authority working to make the Stratos development a reality. Here are fi…
Utah Approves Gargantuan Data Center Project
Utah has approved a tech project so big it would sprawl over an area almost the size of Washington, DC—and it's already setting off a political and environmental brawl. The Stratos AI data center complex, planned for roughly 62 square miles in Box Elder County, would need about 9...
Box Elder County data center debate intensifies as foes, supporters trade barbs
SALT LAKE CITY (KSL) — A week after Box Elder County officials gave the green light to the Stratos Project Area data center project, debate keeps escalating and intensifying. Kevin O’Leary, the Canadian businessman behind the initiative, took aim at some of the project’s foes by name in an interview with Fox News, suggesting that […]
Kevin O'Leary said his Utah data center will create 10,000 construction jobs. The real number is far lower.
"Shark Tank" investor Kevin O'Leary is planning a data center project in Utah.Michael Buckner/Penske Media via Getty ImagesKevin O'Leary's Utah data center project may create fewer jobs than he initially said.Wonder Valley's data center job estimates are closer to 4,000 construction roles.Local residents have opposed the data center due to concerns about water use and air quality.Kevin O'Leary has said his Utah data center development will creat…
OUTRAGE: Utah Approves AI Center Twice The Size Of Manhattan
A plan to create one of the world’s largest datacenters, a gargantuan project spanning an area more than twice the size of Manhattan, has provoked a furious public backlash in Utah amid concerns over its vast energy use and impact upon the state’s stressed water supplies. The Stratos artificial intelligence datacenter footprint will cover more than 62 square miles over three sites in Box Elder county in northwestern Utah. The facility will requi…
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