SALT LAKE CITY — Investor Kevin O’Leary believes the Stratos data center is still a good project, even if some of the Utah politicians who supported it lost or are losing after Tuesday’s election.
“I don't think it changes Stratos at all,” O’Leary told FOX 13 News in a phone interview Wednesday. “I think what's across the country, it’s not unique to Utah, is [that] Republican incumbents are going through a lot of turmoil right now.”
“I don't think you can attribute wins or losses to any one specific issue,” O’Leary said.
Utah Senate President Stuart Adams lost his primary election on Tuesday. Two other Republicans, Box Elder County Commissioners Boyd Bingham and Lee Perry, were trailing in tallies posted Wednesday.
Besides being a legislator, Adams is chair of the Utah Military Installation Development Authority or MIDA. It has been working with O’Leary to develop the massive Stratos data center planned for Box Elder County.
Bingham and Perry are two of the county commissioners who passed a resolution allowing Stratos to proceed despite opposition from both Box Elder County residents and other Utahns. The third commissioner, Tyler Vincent, is not up for reelection this year.
What’s O’Leary’s message for any Utah politicians pondering whether to support Stratos?
“Well, I hope we get unanimous support from the politicians,” O’Leary said. “Because I think it should be judged on its merit.”
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“What better way to bring high-paying jobs to Utah and $15 billion worth of investment?” O’Leary said. “It's time now to focus on providing the facts and debate the facts and shine the light of transparency on the facts, and at the end of the day, if people don't like those facts after they find out what's true and what isn't, I'd be very surprised.”
O’Leary said he was calling FOX 13 from Atlanta between filming episodes of the reality show “Shark Tank.” He said he anticipates visiting Utah soon.
“Well, obviously, I want to do it with the permitting process, because that's an important next step,” he said.