Kevin O'Leary agrees to cut the size of his data center in half after backlash

In a significant shift, Kevin O'Leary has announced a reduction in the scale of his ambitious data center project in Utah following mounting pressure from local lawmakers. The entrepreneur has committed to halving the originally proposed 40,000-acre Stratos development in Box Elder County, as reported by Bloomberg. O'Leary's decision comes as a response to widespread community backlash regarding the potential impacts of the project. Concerns have been raised over issues such as escalating energy costs, water consumption, and potential environmental harm. The Stratos Project, envisioned as one of the largest data centers in the United States, was initially anticipated to demand between 7.5 to 9 gigawatts of power. In a letter to Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams, O'Leary outlined his commitment to leaving a substantial portion of the project area as open space. Adams expressed optimism regarding O'Leary's concessions, stating they align with the demands he presented in a recent letter, which included a commitment to allocate new water resources to the Great Salt Lake. Despite these concessions, the project still faces a complex and protracted review process. Adams emphasized that no permits or approvals have been sought or granted, indicating that significant additional steps, including environmental assessments and written commitments, are necessary before the project can proceed. A representative from O'Leary Digital has not yet responded to inquiries regarding this development.