utah

Kevin O'Leary's massive Utah data center project was cut 50% after intense local backlash over water usage and environmental concerns; O'Leary acknowledges mistakes and promises transparency.

Kevin O'Leary agreed to reduce his planned 40,000-acre Project Stratos data center in Utah by roughly half, following pressure from residents, activists, and state officials. The downsized project will still cover approximately 20,000 acres, larger than Manhattan.

Kevin O'Leary proposes the massive Stratos data center in Utah, which at 10,000 acres and 7.5 gigawatts would be the world's largest, aiming to address AI infrastructure demands with aesthetic design and self-generated energy.

A resident-led organization called B.E.A.R. has filed a referendum to stop the Stratos Project Data Center in Box Elder County, Utah, citing lack of transparency, unfair tax breaks, water and environmental concerns, and inadequate public input.

This article from Utah Clean Energy estimates the proposed Stratos data center in Utah would consume 9 GW of electricity from on-site gas plants, doubling the state's peak demand, and produce significant emissions and water consumption.

Utah has approved the Stratos Project, a massive data center spanning 40,000 acres that will consume 9GW of power, raising concerns about environmental damage and water usage despite claims of boosting American AI dominance.

Utah lawmakers, led by Republican Governor Spencer Cox, are fighting to ban prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket, labeling them as gambling. This puts them at odds with the Trump administration's classification of such platforms as financial exchanges.