Kevin O'Leary's data center would be the largest in the world
The short version: More Perfect Union catches Kevin O'Leary dismissing local opposition to his massive Utah data center as bused-in outsiders — the protesters we'd bet are just neighbors.
Our Take
Credit to More Perfect Union for doing the basic reporting work of actually talking to the people showing up at these hearings instead of taking a celebrity investor's word for it. When a multimillionaire pitching "the world's largest data center" claims his opposition is astroturf, that's usually a sign someone doesn't want to answer why local residents are worried about their power bills, their water table, and their sightlines in the first place.
This is the same script we've watched play out in county after county: an out-of-state (or out-of-country) developer shows up with a huge project and bigger promises, local officials sign off fast, and the people who actually live next to the substation and the cooling towers find out the details after the ink is dry. "Bussed-in protesters" is a lot easier to say than "we didn't do enough outreach" or "the water and power math doesn't pencil out for a small town."
We'd rather let residents speak for themselves than take either side's talking points at face value — which is exactly why we built the map. If you want to see how this Utah project compares to the hundreds of others reshaping grids and water tables nationwide, or you want tools to push back where you live, check take action.
This is GridWatch the USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of More Perfect Union, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.