Utah Voters Opposed Large-Scale Data Center Projects
State and national polls show a majority preference for community protection over data center infrastructure growth.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Data Centers
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A recent poll conducted by Morning Consult revealed that 66% of Utahns oppose the 20,000-acre Stratos Project in Box Elder County. The survey indicates that local residents prioritize community protection over the national competition goals often cited to justify massive data center construction.
Why it matters
The findings reflect a growing public resistance to the localized impact of AI-driven infrastructure development. Voters consistently reject economic growth arguments when they conflict with their local priorities.
While the Governor's Office of Economic Development projects that the Creekstone Energy data center in Millard County will create 106 full-time jobs at an average annual salary of $160,000, 59% of survey respondents opposed such developments even when growth was emphasized.
The players
Morning Consult
A global decision intelligence company that provides proprietary data and survey research on public policy and economic trends.
Governor's Office of Economic Development
The Utah state agency responsible for implementing economic growth policies and managing large-scale industrial projects.
Creekstone Energy
An energy and infrastructure firm currently constructing a data center facility in Millard County.
The details
The polling conducted by Morning Consult surveyed 744 Utah voters and 2,102 registered U.S. voters to gauge sentiment on industrial digital infrastructure. These large-scale facilities require significant land usage and are frequently justified by proponents as essential for maintaining a competitive edge against China in AI infrastructure. The survey findings demonstrate that this strategic justification is failing to gain traction with residents who are primarily concerned with the preservation of their immediate local environment.
Timeline
September 10-14, 2026: National poll of registered voters conducted.
September 10-15, 2026: Utah state poll of registered voters conducted.
The Tech Race
The push to scale AI infrastructure has triggered a sharp conflict between national strategic goals and local land-use priorities. This sentiment data mirrors rising local opposition to high-consumption utility projects that move to accelerate the national data center build-out.
Residents in Box Elder and Millard counties remain at the center of the dispute over industrial land allocation and regional utility distribution. Future site permitting will likely remain contingent on these competing priorities as local government officials evaluate the trade-offs of job creation versus landscape preservation.
The takeaway
The data confirms that economic growth projections are currently insufficient to override community concerns regarding large-scale infrastructure projects. Observers should track upcoming local zoning hearings in Box Elder County to see if this public sentiment shifts the trajectory of the Stratos Project.
Further reading
For more on the challenges of balancing national AI goals with local requirements, visit our Data Centers section.
Live Poll
Should your local community prioritize local interests over national economic or security development goals?
