Kevin O'Leary's Utah Data Center Project Approved by Box Elder County Amid Opposition

Canadian businessman Kevin O'Leary, known from "Shark Tank," is defending a multi-billion dollar data center project in Utah, developed by O'Leary Digital in partnership with the state's Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA). The project, planned for approximately 40,000 acres across three sites in a dry, rural area of Box Elder County, faces intense local opposition. Residents express deep concerns regarding the project's significant demand for water and electricity, especially in a state where the Great Salt Lake is drying and snowpack hit record lows. Other environmental worries include heat, noise pollution, and impact on wildlife. Hundreds of protesters attended a Box Elder County Commission meeting on May 4th, chanting and jeering, forcing commissioners to continue the meeting virtually. Despite the widespread public outcry and 2,500 submitted comments, the Box Elder County Commission unanimously approved a resolution to create the Stratos project area on land owned by the Department of Defense and the Utah Trust Lands Administration. Commissioner Tyler Vincent clarified that this decision was not final approval for construction but rather the beginning of an oversight process. Supporters, including O'Leary and MIDA Executive Director Paul Morris, emphasize the project's potential to create over 2,000 jobs, strengthen domestic energy capacity, support national defense, and incorporate sustainable design features like closed-loop cooling, although critics point out plans for natural gas to power the facility. O'Leary addressed the opposition in a video, highlighting his background in environmental studies and the project's sustainability efforts. He controversially claimed that over 90% of protesters were