Box Elder County Data Center Debate Heats Up as Opponents Push Ballot Challenge
Why It Matters
A massive proposed data center in northern Utah’s Box Elder County is generating one of the most contentious local land-use disputes the state has seen in years, drawing opponents and supporters into an increasingly sharp public fight over land use, power demands, and who gets a say in major infrastructure decisions.
The outcome could shape how Utah handles large-scale private development proposals tied to national security interests — and whether residents have the tools to slow or reverse decisions made by county commissioners and state bodies.
What Happened
Box Elder County commissioners approved two resolutions on May 4 clearing the way for the so-called Stratos Project Area, a data center and energy development initiative backed by Canadian businessman Kevin O’Leary. The project calls for up to 9 gigawatts of power-generating capacity spread across roughly 40,000 acres of land.
In the days since that approval, the public debate has grown louder. O’Leary went on Fox News and accused some named opponents of potentially acting as proxies for the Chinese government — a charge that critics swiftly and sharply rejected.
“Take your lies, your data center and your toes back to the cartoon villain lair you came from,” responded Gabi Finlayson of Elevate Utah and Elevate Strategies, one of the individuals O’Leary singled out by first name. “The only foreign actor here is the Canadian billionaire pretending he cares about Utah.”
O’Leary has not backed down, continuing to challenge opponents to open their financial records to public scrutiny.
The Ballot Challenge
A group called Box Elder Accountability Referendum, or BEAR, filed the second of two applications Friday seeking authorization to launch a petition drive that could force a public vote on the commissioners’ May 4 resolutions. Farrah Pliley of Tremonton, one of more than 20 county residents who signed on as sponsors, said the group is now waiting on the county attorney to review whether the applications meet the requirements of state law.
“Right now we’re just awaiting review from the county attorney,” Pliley said. If the applications are approved, organizers would have 45 days to gather signatures.
Under state law, each petition would need 5,422 valid signatures to place the resolutions before voters. “I do have hope that we can do that,” Pliley said, “because I know a lot of people are very upset about this.”
County spokeswoman Lynette Crockett confirmed officials have 20 days to complete their review of the applications. However, she noted that even a successful referendum challenge would not automatically kill the project. Voiding the county resolutions would strip the county’s negotiated conditions and protections from the deal, but O’Leary could potentially continue pursuing development without those terms in place.
By the Numbers
- 40,000 acres of land involved in the Stratos Project Area
- 9 gigawatts of proposed power-generating capacity
- 5,422 valid signatures required on each petition to force a ballot vote
- 45 days for signature gathering if petitions are authorized
- 20 days for county officials to review the referendum applications
Zoom Out
The project cleared a significant hurdle when the Military Installation Development Authority — a state body — signed off on a development agreement, tax-incentive plan, and related accords, with backers arguing the initiative is critical to national security. Gov. Spencer Cox has expressed support for the project, though he acknowledged late last week that opponents raise “real concerns,” softening his earlier dismissal of criticism.
A coalition operating under the banner of Utah ROOTS — Utah Residents Organized for Oversight, Transparency and Stewardship — is planning a rally at the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Organizers plan to deliver an open letter of opposition to the governor. Aubri Devashrayee, a coalition participant, called the data center fight “probably the most uniting issue I’ve ever seen in Utah in my lifetime,” citing opposition from across the political spectrum.
What’s Next
The county attorney’s review of the referendum applications is the immediate next step. If the petitions are authorized, opponents will have a narrow 45-day window to collect thousands of signatures. A public vote, if it reaches that stage, would determine whether the county’s approvals stand — though county officials have made clear that even a referendum victory for opponents might not bring the project to a full stop.
For more news from Utah, see our recent coverage of other stories making headlines across the state, including a Utah man ordered to stand trial for aggravated murder in the deaths of his parents and a Utah nurse sentenced to prison for helping a friend die by insulin overdose.
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