Frequently Asked Questions

The Stratos Project is a proposed hyperscale data center development planned for unincorporated Box Elder County in northern Utah. The data center will be used for artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and defense operations. 

If built, the Stratos Project would be the largest data center in the world, covering roughly 40,000 acres in Hansel Valley. To put that into scale, it would be larger than Bryce Canyon National Park and roughly three times the size of Brigham City.

Approval is being sought by Canadian entrepreneur and Shark Tank celebrity Kevin O’Leary, Alpine-based energy company West GenCo, and Utah’s Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA).

Utah’s Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) is a state entity originally created to support economic development near military installations. In January, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development referred the Stratos Project to MIDA after determining that the project had a military use, as energy resilience can strengthen national security. 

MIDA has played a major role in advancing the Stratos Project by approving development agreements, overseeing planning processes, and helping facilitate infrastructure and economic incentives tied to the project. 

The agency’s involvement has become one of the most controversial aspects of the project, as MIDA’s governance structure gives significant power to state-appointed boards and development interests while limiting local oversight.

Five of MIDA’s seven voting board members are appointed by the governor. Senate President Stuart Adams and Senator Jerry Stevenson both serve on the board and have received campaign donations from developers of MIDA projects. Stuart Adams' PAC received $135,000 from MIDA-connected donors days after approving the Stratos Project.

Local residents have had limited opportunities for input. Because the project is being advanced through MIDA rather than traditional county planning processes, key decisions have occurred at the state level instead of through Box Elder County’s normal land use and zoning channels. 

Commissioner Lee Perry acknowledged that the approval process felt rushed and stated that state officials, developers, and landowners had been discussing the project long before county officials received formal notice. According to Perry, Box Elder County commissioners did not receive formal confirmation of the project until late March 2026, only weeks before the county voted on the development agreement. 

Commissioners gave residents a little over a week of notice before approving this project. Residents and advocacy groups have argued that this timeline provided limited opportunity for public review and input on a project of unprecedented scale for the region.

Around 40,000-acres of land have been allocated to the project. This area consists of privately held land that has either been purchased or is under agreement with landowners. The military land required under state law for MIDA oversight is located on an entirely separate parcel west of the Great Salt Lake.

While Utah State Senate President Stuart Adams and Kevin O’Leary have released statements regarding the possibility of reducing the project area size, we are waiting to review statutory or contractual updates to verify these commitments.

The citizen’s referendum is an effort by Box Elder Country residents to place the Stratos Project on the ballot so voters can decide whether the project should move forward. The effort was spearheaded by Box Elder County residents, Brenna Williams, Brigette Cottam, and Shannon Barton. Together, they have created the Box Elder Accountability Referendum (B.E.A.R.), a nonpartisan, grassroots coalition of local residents formed in response to the proposed Stratos Project. 

Following the Box Elder Country Commission’s approval of Resolution 26-11 and 26-12, local residents gathered signatures to qualify two referendums that would put data center plans on the ballot in November. The two applications aimed to address the approved resolutions that gave consent for the project and the agreement between Box Elder County and MIDA.  

On May 28th, 2026, Box Elder County Attorney Stephen Hadfield rejected both referendums, concluding that the resolutions approved by the Box Elder County Commission were administrative actions rather than legislative actions and therefore were not subject to referendum under Utah law. In his statement Hadfield also acknowledged that referendum sponsors who disagreed with his interpretation could appeal the decision to the courts.

B.E.A.R. organizers disagree with the County Attorney’s determinations and filed an appeal on June 3 to Utah’s First District Court, where the legal question of whether the resolutions are subject to referendum will be considered.

Utah House Speaker Mike Shultz supports Box Elder residents being able to make the final decision on the Stratos Project at the ballot box in November.

Additionally, Governor Cox has stated that MIDA should not be the sole entity making this decision and emphasizing that decisions of this scale should be made by elected officials and with greater public transparency. Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson has also expressed skepticism about the use of taxpayer resources to subsidize a private business venture.  

Concerns about the project have also been raised by the Fort Hall Business Council of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes who formally opposed large-scale data center development in the region, citing concerns about impacts on water resources, energy demand, tribal lands, treaty-protected resources, and culturally significant landscapes.

Residents can participate in several ways:

• Volunteer with B.E.A.R. 

• Talk with your friends, family, and neighbors about your concerns with the Stratos Data Center Project

• Share B.E.A.R.’s posts on Instagram, Facebook, and Tiktok @bear_the_fight

• Donate to help fund B.E.A.R.’s campaign

• Submit comments or protests during water rights, air quality, and environmental permitting processes

• Attend MIDA board meetings and provide public comments

• Contact state legislators, county officials, and the Governor’s Office to share concerns

• Contact your legislators and ask them to publicly oppose the project

• Engage with community groups tracking the project

• Stay informed about new applications, filings, and public hearings

Visit StratosWatch.org for additional information, updates, resources, and more ways to stay engaged