Box Elder County commissioners just greenlit one of the most controversial tech projects in Utah history. Despite rowdy public demonstrations and over 3,800 formal protests, they unanimously approved Kevin O’Leary’s Stratos Project—a 40,000-acre hyperscale data center complex designed to supercharge America’s military AI capabilities.
The Scale Defies Belief
O’Leary’s $1 billion vision includes power generation that could supply multiple major metropolitan areas.
The Shark Tank star’s O’Leary Digital plans to build data centers across three massive land parcels, backed by 7.5 to 9 gigawatts of power generation—likely natural gas plants. To put that in perspective, the entire state of Utah consumes about 3 gigawatts during peak demand, making this project’s power requirements truly staggering. The project aims to ramp up investment within 60 days of Monday’s approval, targeting U.S. defense capabilities against competitors like China.
Water Rights Spark Fierce Backlash
Agricultural conversion plans trigger thousands of protests amid Great Salt Lake crisis.
The original water rights application sought to convert agricultural use to industrial—1,900 acre-feet annually, enough for thousands of households. That filing was withdrawn after massive public pushback, with plans to refile with modifications. Joel Ferry from Utah’s Department of Natural Resources insists “the net impact to the Great Salt Lake is going to be zero because this water is already being used.”
Environmental Groups Aren’t Buying It
Over 2,500 county comments reveal deep skepticism about water claims.
Opponents delivered a dramatic display of public resistance. Beyond the formal protests, the county received 2,500-plus comments demanding environmental studies. Critics worry about further straining the shrinking Great Salt Lake during an ongoing drought crisis—a concern that feels especially urgent given Utah’s water transparency laws still allow actual usage data to remain secret.
O’Leary Fights Back With Tech Solutions
Shark Tank investor dismisses “sucking the lake dry” fears while promoting air-cooling alternatives.
O’Leary took to social media calling claims about draining the Great Salt Lake “ridiculous.” He’s betting on air-cooling technology that could minimize or eliminate water usage entirely—a potential game-changer if it works at hyperscale. The real test comes next: multiple environmental permits requiring public hearings and state scrutiny.
Monday’s approval marks just the beginning of a complex permitting process that will determine how America balances AI infrastructure demands against Western water scarcity. You’re watching a precedent unfold that could shape data center development across the drought-stressed West.
