O’Leary shrinking Utah data center after backlash
The revised plan cuts the footprint to one 20,000-acre parcel and lowers full-build power needs to 7.5 gigawatts, officials said.
- On Thursday, investor Kevin O'Leary agreed to cut over 20,000 acres from the proposed Stratos Project in Box Elder County, following Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams' demand for a 75% reduction.
- Initially planned for approximately 40,000 acres, the AI and defense campus faced intense public pushback over potential water usage, air quality impacts, and the project's massive scale in Box Elder County.
- Despite initially calling the 75% reduction request 'outrageous,' O'Leary committed in Thursday's letter to accepting industry-leading environmental stewardship conditions and working with state agencies on permitting and transparency.
- Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams called the offer a 'positive step forward,' noting the process remains in early stages and requires further commitments on conservation and public transparency.
- Last Friday, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed an executive order setting a 'higher bar for data center development in Utah' with frameworks addressing water resources, air quality, utility rates, and wildlife.
21 Articles
21 Articles
'I Have No Choice': Kevin O'Leary Agrees To Shrink 40,000-Acre AI Project After Uproar
Kevin O'Leary plans to reduce the size of his Utah AI data centre project following criticism from state leadership, aiming for transparency and conservation to address public concerns.
Fox Business
The New York LedgerKevin O'Leary says Utah AI data center project will shrink after lawmakers demand cuts
'Shark Tank' investor Kevin O'Leary says he will reduce his proposed Utah AI data center project after the state Senate president called for a 75% cut in its footprint.
Idaho Capital Sun
Utah News DispatchO’Leary agrees to cut Stratos data center area in half following letter from Utah Senate president
The sun rises over a part of Hansel Valley, in Box Elder County, near the proposed Stratos Project, a massive data center planned for 40,000 acres of land, on Thursday, May 28, 2026. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)After stunning public outcry, celebrity investor Kevin O’Leary agreed to cut in half the footprint of the massive data center campus he is pursuing in northern Utah. Under the deal the 40,000-acre campus would be reduce…
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