Kevin O`Leary admits he 'screwed up' initial rollout of Box Elder County data center

Kevin O'Leary has agreed to significantly scale back the Stratos data center project in Box Elder County, Utah, following a request from Utah Senate President J. Steuart Adams. O'Leary confirmed that 75% of the proposed 40,000-acre development area, specifically nearly 20,000 acres, will not be developed. This reduction aims to lessen the impact on wildlife in the locomotive springs waterfell management area and to protect Utah's water resources, particularly the Great Salt Lake.

In a letter to President Adams, O'Leary stated alignment with the standards set for "water, land, heat, environmental performance, and transparency." President Adams confirmed that the revised project now includes a commitment of water for the Great Salt Lake that was previously absent. O'Leary took responsibility for the initial rollout, admitting they "screwed it up" by not addressing environmental concerns from the beginning, which he believes "pissed off a lot of people."

Despite these concessions, some project opponents remain skeptical, viewing the change in tone as "political theater." One opponent questioned the impact of the changes, noting that the data center itself was only planned for 10,000 acres within the larger 40,000-acre proposal. Critics also highlighted that Box Elder County's unique circumstances make it an unsuitable location for a data center.