Kevin O’Leary’s $100B Utah AI Data Center Sparks Environmental Backlash

Kevin O’Leary, the sharp-tongued investor known from Shark Tank, has secured unanimous approval from Box Elder County commissioners for his ambitious “Stratos Project” — a $100 billion AI data center in northwest Utah. Despite hundreds of protesters voicing opposition, the project moved forward, igniting a fierce debate between economic promise and environmental responsibility.

The proposed facility would span a 40,000-acre campus and operate at 9 gigawatts — consuming more than twice the energy Utah uses in an entire year. A co-located natural gas plant would power the complex. O’Leary argues the development is a national security imperative, warning that falling behind in computing infrastructure could cede AI dominance to China.

Jobs vs. the Environment: A Community Divided

Supporters point to O’Leary’s pledge of 10,000 construction jobs and 2,000 permanent positions as a transformative economic opportunity for the region. Critics, however, are not convinced the trade-off is worth it. Environmental advocates warn the center’s massive water consumption could accelerate the decline of the already shrinking Great Salt Lake, potentially unleashing toxic dust storms on nearby communities.

Residents Push Back with a Referendum

A coalition of Box Elder voters is now fighting back through the ballot box, filing an application this week to place a referendum on the November ballot to overturn the approval. The effort requires over 5,000 signatures to qualify. Environmental advocate Caroline Gleich is calling for transparency, urging officials to conduct and publicly release a thorough environmental impact study before any ground is broken.