Box Elder County locals are organizing against the Stratos project, a massive data center proposal backed by celebrity investor Kevin O’Leary and Utah’s Military Installation Development Authority.
MIDA announced its data center plans at a board meeting April 24, and the Box Elder County Commission granted its approval, despite heavy protest, May 4.
Now, locals are trying to reverse that decision with two referenda this November.
The referenda take aim at each of the county commission’s decisions May 4: approving an interlocal agreement with MIDA and consenting to MIDA adding private land to the Stratos project.
Box Elder County resident Brenna Williams is the lead sponsor.
“We want no part of this development and its threat to our environment, water, air, health, and way of life,” she said in a statement.
Sponsors also criticized O’Leary, who has taken to social media to defend the project.
“We think over 90% of the protesters are actually not people that live in Utah or Box Elder County – they’re being bused in,” he said in a video posted to X.
He said the protesters at the Box Elder County Commission meeting were paid and used AI to create their talking points.
Williams pushed back against that allegation.
"Instead of speaking with us, Kevin O'Leary went on social media saying we were out-of-state, paid protesters, and we don't want people from out-of-state making decisions for us,” she said. “The only thing he's right about is that we don't want him, an out-of-state billionaire, making decisions for us.”
I’m the only developer of data centers on earth that graduated from environmental studies. I'm pretty aware of what these concerns are. They are around air, water use, heat, noise pollution. So sustainability is at the heart of what we do in terms of all these proposals. We… pic.twitter.com/Qvob70uEmh
— Kevin O'Leary aka Mr. Wonderful (@kevinolearytv) May 5, 2026
The Stratos data center will generate up to nine gigawatts of power once complete – more than double what the entire state uses in a year.
Protesters have said they’re worried about water, air quality and the speed of the project’s approval. State leaders including Gov. Spencer Cox have said those concerns are based on inaccurate information.
To get a referendum on the November ballot, thousands of Box Elder County voters will need to sign the petition within 45 days.
MIDA is a state entity founded in 2007 to support military projects and economic development. In Wasatch County, it’s known for its role in the development of Deer Valley East Village and other major projects in the Jordanelle Basin.
