Utah Data Center Investor Retracts China Funding Claims Against Critics
Kevin O'Leary, an investor in a large data center project in northern Utah, retracted his claims that project critics were funded by China. His initial accusations led to a "Streisand Effect," increasing media attention on the opposition, who criticized state authorities for promoting the project.
Celebrity investor Kevin O'Leary, involved in a large data center project in northern Utah dubbed the "Death Star," recently recanted his previous accusations that critics of the project were funded by China or the Chinese Communist Party. O'Leary had claimed that groups like Alliance for a Better Utah and Elevate Strategies, along with individuals Gabrielle Finlayson, Taylor Knuth, and Josh Kanter, were foreign operatives.
The retraction came after O'Leary's initial statements inadvertently triggered a "Streisand Effect," drawing increased media attention to the opposition. Critics used this platform to deny the accusations and to highlight their concerns that Utah lawmakers and the state's Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) were improperly advancing the data center project. This public relations misstep for O'Leary and the project underscores the ongoing controversy surrounding the development.