Investor Kevin O'Leary Claims China Is Behind Opposition to His Utah Data Center

Kevin O'Leary, known from "Shark Tank," is backing the Stratos Project, a proposed 40,000-acre AI data center campus in rural Box Elder County, Utah, also referred to as Wonder Valley. The project, which could require up to 9 gigawatts of power, has sparked significant local opposition from residents and environmental advocates primarily concerned about its extensive water and electricity consumption and potential impact on the Great Salt Lake region. O'Leary asserts that the facility would generate its own power and is crucial for U.S. competitiveness in artificial intelligence.

In a controversial move, O'Leary has escalated the local dispute into a national security issue, claiming that interests linked to China are funding the opposition and spreading misinformation to impede U.S. data center and power infrastructure development. He specifically named local political strategists Gabi Finlayson and Jackie Morgan of Elevate Strategies during a Fox Business segment, accusing them of foreign connections. Finlayson and Morgan vehemently denied these allegations, stating their opposition stems from genuine community concerns and labeling O'Leary's accusations as "outlandish." O'Leary Ventures later clarified that it wasn't accusing specific individuals but sought transparency on funding networks.

Despite the ongoing controversy and public outcry, Box Elder County commissioners approved the project earlier this month. However, opponents are actively pursuing a referendum to challenge this county agreement, indicating that the fight over the data center's development is far from over. This situation highlights growing community apprehension nationwide regarding data centers' environmental and resource demands, with similar claims of foreign-backed opposition reportedly echoed by some Trump administration allies, though public evidence remains limited.