Kevin O'Leary to scale back Stratos AI data center in Box Elder County, Utah
Kevin O'Leary has agreed to significantly reduce the size of his proposed 40,000-acre Stratos AI data center project in Box Elder County, Utah, following intense criticism from Utah lawmakers, including a demand letter from Senate President J. Stuart Adams. The project faced concerns over its potential impact on natural resources, including the Great Salt Lake, and its substantial energy and water demands. O'Leary cited political pressure and a desire for transparency as reasons for his willingness to scale back the controversial development.
Celebrity investor Kevin O'Leary announced his intention to scale back the controversial 40,000-acre Stratos AI data center project in Box Elder County, Utah. This decision comes after the project drew intense criticism from Utah lawmakers, including a formal demand letter from Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams, urging a 75% reduction in size to 10,000 acres.
Adams' letter, sent on June 1, also called for increased transparency and stronger conservation commitments to protect Utah's natural resources, particularly the Great Salt Lake, despite O'Leary's assurances that no project water would flow into the lake. O'Leary, acknowledging the political motivations behind Adams' actions in an election year, stated, "I have no choice" but to address these concerns.
While O'Leary believes some opposition stems from misinformation, potentially driven by foreign interests like China-funded groups such as the Alliance for a Better Utah (an accusation the group denies), he views the senator's directive as an opportunity. He plans to submit a formal response with project revisions by June 5, aiming to use this "test kitchen" approach to build public trust through transparency and ultimately benefit the people of Utah.