One of the world's biggest data center projects, designed to cover nearly three times the area of Manhattan, has been scaled back by half amid local protests. The Stratos project in Box Elder County, Utah, was initially planned to span 40,000 acres but now faces a reduced scope of about 25 percent.

Residents' concerns centred on water management and environmental impacts. To protect the Great Salt Lake, locals paid a $15 fee to register their opposition, highlighting the project's potential drain on local resources. Venture capitalist Kevin O’Leary, who chairs O’Leary Digital, has admitted he was not prepared for such intense public backlash.

Senator Stuart Adams, a Republican, suggested cutting the project by 75 percent in his letter to O’Leary. O’Leary acknowledged there were 'huge mistakes' in not involving the public more and bending to the Senate president's demands. The remaining land will see only about 10,000 acres undeveloped.

This reduction marks a significant shift for a project that was originally expected to boost local investment. O’Leary's admission could herald greater transparency in future tech projects, as stakeholders increasingly demand a say in major developments affecting their communities.