Kevin O’Leary agrees to downsize massive Utah data center
Kevin O’Leary will cut the size of his planned Utah data center by nearly half after pressure from residents and activists.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
O’Leary says he will remove 19,430 acres from Project Stratos and shrink the site near the Locomotive Springs Waterfowl Management Area. Even after the cut, the project remains enormous and still raises concerns about water, energy, and pollution.
A huge computer-building plan in Utah is getting smaller because people worried it would use too much land and water. It is still very big, but the owner says he will leave more of the area open instead of building on all of it.
Analysis
What changed
Kevin O’Leary has agreed to shrink his planned Utah data center project, Project Stratos, after pressure from residents and activists. According to the article, he sent a letter to Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams saying he will remove 19,430 acres from the project, which is located in and around the Locomotive Springs Waterfowl Management Area.
The reported cut comes shortly after Adams urged O’Leary to reduce the project by 75 percent, which would have brought it down to about 10,000 acres. Adams also asked for technology that reduces water use and for excess water to be redirected to the Great Salt Lake, which the article notes is still shrinking.
What remains
O’Leary also said he will cut another 620 acres in the northeast part of the project near the highway and will preserve most of the remaining land as open space. Even after the reduction, the project is still expected to cover about 20,000 acres, which is larger than Manhattan.
The Verge frames the story as part of the broader AI data center buildout, where projects this size still raise major concerns about energy consumption, environmental impact, and pollution. The article does not say the project has been canceled; it says the footprint is being reduced under political and public pressure.
Key points
- O’Leary says he will remove 19,430 acres from Project Stratos in Utah.
- The project is located in and around the Locomotive Springs Waterfowl Management Area.
- Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams had asked for a 75 percent reduction and lower water use.
- O’Leary also says he will preserve most of the remaining acreage as open space.
- Even after the downsizing, the project would still be larger than Manhattan.
If the reduction holds, the project could put less pressure on sensitive land near the waterfowl area. The push for lower water use and more open space could also make the buildout easier for officials and nearby residents to accept.
Even after the cut, the site remains massive and could still draw concern over energy demand, water use, and pollution. The article also suggests the Great Salt Lake and surrounding environment remain part of the dispute, so further backlash could continue.
