Box Elder County, Utah approves Kevin O'Leary data center despite local opposition

Hundreds of residents in Box Elder County, Utah, erupted in protests this week as county commissioners approved a colossal AI data center project led by 'Shark Tank' star Kevin O’Leary. Opponents chanted "Shame! Shame! Shame!" as regulators voted to advance the controversial "hyperscale" data center, which critics fear will consume more than twice the electricity currently used by the entire state of Utah and reshape tens of thousands of acres of open land. The fierce backlash underscores a growing national trend of local communities opposing massive data center developments due to concerns over environmental impact, resource strain, and tax breaks. The proposed 60-square-mile facility, nearly three times the size of Manhattan, drew scrutiny for its reliance on natural gas and its potential to significantly increase Utah's greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists and environmental experts estimated the project could raise the state’s emissions by roughly 50% and demand up to 9 gigawatts of electricity at full buildout. Despite intense local opposition, which included protest signs and accusations of a rushed approval process, the project was advanced. Utah’s Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) approved substantial incentives for the project, including a sharply reduced energy tax rate of 0.5% (down from 6%), acknowledging that the proposal was fast-tracked due to competition with other states. Commissioner Lee Perry reported that police officers were stationed outside commissioners' homes after the heated meeting, with O’Leary dismissing the protests as largely fueled by "outside agitators." Kirk Offel, CEO of Overwatch Mission Critical, noted the unprecedented scale of such projects in the AI boom, highlighting the