Kevin O’Leary agrees to downsize massive Utah data center

Kevin O’Leary said he will remove 19,430 acres from his planned 40,000-acre Utah data center project near the Locomotive Springs Waterfowl Management Area. The move follows pressure from residents, activists, and Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams, who had pushed for a much larger reduction and water-saving technology.

The pullback shows how data center expansion is increasingly colliding with land, water, and environmental concerns, especially in arid regions. Even high-profile investors may need to redesign projects as communities and policymakers scrutinize the resource demands of AI and cloud infrastructure.