Kevin O’Leary’s Stratos Data Center Project Draws Opposition in Utah

News Clip1:27The Verge·UT·10/1/2026

Kevin O’Leary announced plans for Stratos, a large data center project in a remote area of Utah. The project received fast-tracked approvals but prompted strong local opposition and allegations of defamation, making it a broader test of Utah’s data center expansion.

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In February, Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary announced plans for Stratos, an enormous data center in a remote part of Utah. What followed was a saga of fast-tracked approvals, an angry local community, and allegations of defamation. Read the full story about how Stratos became a warning shot for the data center build-out on The Verge. Subscribe: http://goo.gl/G5RXGs Like The Verge on Facebook: https://goo.gl/2P1aGc Follow on Twitter: https://goo.gl/XTWX61 Follow on Instagram: https://goo.gl/7ZeLv Watch The Vergecast on YouTube: https://bit.ly/40RFRkg The Vergecast Podcast: https://bit.ly/3WQDexZ Decoder with Nilay Patel: http://apple.co/3v29nDc More about our podcasts: https://www.theverge.com/podcasts Read More: http://www.theverge.com Community guidelines: http://bit.ly/2D0hlAv Wallpapers from The Verge: https://bit.ly/2xQXYJr Shop our Verge merch store here: https://bit.ly/4kPCmEc Subscribe to The Verge: https://bit.ly/3FT6n5S Subscribe to The Vergecast on YouTube, new episodes on Tuesday and Friday: https://bit.ly/3I6nJtz If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may receive a commission without exerting any influence on editorial content. For more information about our ethics policy, visit: https://bit.ly/3ZWTlLs