Public pushback against plans for MIDA to construct a hyperscale data center in Box Elder County tinged the conversation at a MIDA board meeting Aug. 20.
MIDA is the state entity founded to serve the military and promote economic development.
It drew widespread attention over its controversial approval of the Stratos data center project in May.
During a discussion of Utah National Guard project design standards, MIDA board member Sen. Jerry Stevenson referenced recent meetings where lawmakers examined data center policy. He anticipates “quite a bit of legislation” regarding data centers in the 2027 session.
“I think it’s really a good idea to leave it out until — unless something burns brightly, leave it alone until after the legislative session, if possible,” he said.
He also mentioned that MIDA is likely to “receive some pressure from the military” on the topic.
“They are very interested in data centers here in Utah, and to cover some of their needs,” he said. “And we need to make sure that we can cover that, but we need to be very graceful how we go through this process because it really is — it’s probably as hot a topic as we have on the hill right now.”
While MIDA’s board met, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox was telling reporters he’d like to see changes to the authority.
“I think we need major reform when it comes to MIDA, and I will be pushing for that reform,” he said at a press conference Aug. 20.
Cox said he and the Office of Economic Development should play a larger role in overseeing the entity’s projects.
“MIDA in particular, there’s been a little mission creep with what their initial responsibilities were and goals were,” he said. “And that may be okay; we may support all of that. But we, the elected officials of the state, should be able to have a little bit more of a say in what happens there than what we’ve had in the past.”
MIDA has had a presence in Wasatch County since 2012.
It has land use authority over much of the west side of the Jordanelle Basin, including Deer Valley East Village.
In addition to its Wasatch County project and Stratos, MIDA has half a dozen other project areas across the state, including ones connected to Utah National Guard properties and Hill Air Force Base.
