Kevin O'Leary admits messaging flaws in Utah data center plan

Kevin O'Leary, the "Shark Tank" investor and business mogul, admitted he botched the messaging around his ambitious plan to build a massive data center in Utah.

O'Leary told local leaders in Utah that he has "work to do to earn the community's support" for the project, which could become one of the largest data centers in the state. The data center, announced last year, promises to bring thousands of jobs and millions in investment to Utah. But O'Leary's comments suggest the plan has faced pushback, likely due to concerns about energy use, water consumption, and the environmental impact of such a large facility. Utah has become a hotspot for data centers because of its cheap power and cool climate, but critics argue the industry’s rapid growth strains local resources.

The admission comes after months of scrutiny. Last fall, O'Leary’s company, O'Shares Investments, outlined plans for a 1.3 million-square-foot data center near Salt Lake City. The project was pitched as a major economic boost, but residents and local officials have raised questions about its sustainability. High-profile tech companies like Google and Meta already operate large data centers in Utah, and their presence has sparked debates about the state’s energy grid and water usage. O'Leary’s public acknowledgment of the messaging failure signals that the project’s rollout hasn’t gone as planned.

What happens next isn’t clear. O'Leary said he’s committed to addressing concerns and working with the community to refine the plan. If the project moves forward, it could reshape Utah’s tech landscape—but only if O'Leary can convince skeptics that the benefits outweigh the costs. The stakes are high: a successful data center could bring jobs and revenue, but a misstep could deepen resistance to future tech investments in the state. For now, O'Leary’s next move will be closely watched.