Kevin O’Leary’s Wonder Valley project in Box Elder County, Utah, aims to be one of the nation’s largest data centers. Designed to meet surging AI compute demand, the natural-gas-powered campus would eventually scale to 40,000 acres with 9 GW of capacity.
Local resistance is substantial. More than 3,000 public comments were filed, and polling shows 53% of Utah residents oppose the development. Opponents cite potential harm to the Great Salt Lake and regional resources, and a lawsuit now challenges the project.
O’Leary frames the data center as critical to US national security and competitiveness with China. He has dismissed opposition as driven by misinformation, claiming some protest groups received Chinese funding-a charge local organizers dispute.
Despite the backlash, Box Elder County approved the initial 1.5 GW phase in May 2026, with operations expected within two years. The lawsuit and legislative scrutiny could complicate expansion. O’Leary is also pursuing similar projects in Alberta, signaling a strategic portfolio of energy-intensive compute infrastructure.