A Giant Data Center Plan And The Fight Over The Great Salt Lake

A single vote in Box Elder County just set off one of the biggest Utah fights in years: a proposed mega data center campus on the northern edge of the Great Salt Lake, backed by O’Leary Digital and shepherded by MIDA. The numbers are staggering, from the sheer land footprint to an on-site natural gas plant proposed at up to 9 gigawatts, more than double Utah’s current electricity use. That’s why scientists and environmental advocates are raising the alarm about carbon emissions, water draw, and the lack of independent environmental review at a moment when the Great Salt Lake is already in crisis. We walk through what happened at the commission meeting, why residents feel blindsided, and why the speed of the process has become its own controversy. Then we take the argument seriously from the other side: the jobs and long-term tax revenue being promised, plus the framing from state leaders that AI infrastructure is now part of national security and global competition. If you’ve been wondering how data centers, energy policy, water rights, and local democracy collide, this is the clearest real-time case study Utah has seen in a long time. From there, we shift to Salt Lake City’s fiscal year 2027 budget proposal, including a 12.5% increase in the city property tax rate and what that does and does not mean for your total bill. We also break down where the money would go, why inflation is squeezing basics like firefighter gear and street materials, and how residents can weigh in before the council votes. We close with major City Hall news on the temporary suspension of a councilmember pending an independent investigation, plus quick hits on the Utah Mammoth, a local brewery’s Chapter 11 filing, a new Japantown mural, and Love Your Block mini grants. Subscribe, share the show with a Salt Lake friend, and leave a review.50% Off Minky Couture Blankets: softminkyblankets.com/SMALLLAKECITY Please be sure to like, review, follow, subscribe and share the podcast with your friends and family! See you next time Support the showSmall Lake City Calendar, add for all the events coming up straight to your iCal, Google Calendar, or Outlook: https://42b1ul.share-na2.hsforms.com/2NEaCwuBsSH-fY1z5Hr7DkgJoin the Small Lake City Discord: https://discord.gg/TYNzMhCxeKSubscribe to the Newsletter! https://www.smalllakepod.com/newsletter-landing-pageInstagram: @smalllakepodYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@SmallLakeCityPodcastTikTok: @smalllakepod