A proposed mega data center campus in rural Box Elder County is facing mounting pushback. On Saturday, hundreds of people gathered at the Utah Capitol to protest the project backed by celebrity investor Kevin O'Leary.
The demonstration was the second Capitol rally in less than two weeks, signaling that local opposition is growing instead of fading.
According to The Salt Lake Tribune, hundreds of Utahns carrying signs and chanting slogans rallied against the planned Stratos data center project, which would be built near the Great Salt Lake in Box Elder County.
The protest brought together a broad coalition of over a dozen groups, including Salt Lake Indivisible, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, Sierra Club Utah, and the Center for Biological Diversity.
Scientists, environmental advocates, policymakers, and elected officials have all voiced concern about what the project could mean for the region.
O'Leary, known as Mr. Wonderful on Shark Tank, previously accused protesters of the center of being Chinese sleeper cells paid to protest.
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At the center of the debate are worries about air pollution, and water supplies in an area already closely tied to the health of the shrinking Great Salt Lake.
Large data centers can bring jobs, tax revenue, and digital infrastructure, but they can also place heavy demands on local resources.
In this case, opponents say the project could exacerbate existing environmental pressures in northern Utah, particularly on water supplies and air quality.
That concern carries particular weight near the Great Salt Lake, where declining water levels have already raised alarms about toxic dust, ecosystem loss, and public health impacts. A major new industrial campus could add another layer of strain if planners do not fully account for its footprint.
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Opposition to the centers is growing nationwide, with this serving as a strong example.
In Utah, environmental and grassroots organizations are coordinating rallies and trying to keep attention on the project.
"Can there be a class action lawsuit by citizens of Utah?" one Redditor wondered in a r/SaltLakeCity thread about the ongoing protests.
"Mr wonderful??" another posed.
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