The Verge Investigates Collapse of Kevin O'Leary's Utah Data Center Plan

The Verge has published an in-depth investigation into actor Kevin O'Leary's plans to build a massive data center in Utah, known as Wonder Valley or Stratos. The project initially aimed to create the world's largest data center, a 40,000-acre AI campus requiring power exceeding double the average consumption of the entire state.

According to Verge features writer Josh Dzieza, who spent months reporting on the initiative, the project's planning, announcement, and approval processes, coupled with a lack of transparency for local residents, ignited a severe political backlash. This opposition ultimately halted the Stratos project.

O'Leary, who referred to the development as Wonder Valley, a nod to his nickname on Shark Tank, announced the project publicly in late April. Most Utah residents and county officials were unaware of the plans until this announcement.

The investigation also examines the broader AI industry's infrastructure boom, the bipartisan opposition it has encountered, and the challenges tech companies face navigating local democracy. The project's use of the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA), an agency with the power to override local land use regulations, was a key factor in its development and the subsequent controversy.