Kevin O'Leary's Utah data center job claims don't check out

Source: Ellen Thomas

Search results identify Ellen Thomas solely as a Sierra Leonean-British actress (born February 3, 1954 or 1964 per conflicting sources), with no evidence of a background in journalism or work as a media source/author. All sources detail her acting career spanning 1980–present, including roles in Teachers, EastEnders, and Netflix's Arcane. This raises questions about whether this is the intended subject or if the query misidentifies her profession.

Source: Business Insider

Business Insider has been criticized for using factually incorrect clickbait headlines to attract viewership and for publishing native advertising where sponsors are granted editorial control of content. It has maintained a liberal policy on anonymous sources since 2011, which could enable unverified claims. These practices incentivize sensationalism over accuracy, despite award nominations.

Source: Kevin O'Leary

Kevin O'Leary is a Canadian businessman and TV personality known for 'Dragons' Den' and 'Shark Tank,' with successful exits like selling Softkey to Mattel for $4.2 billion and StorageNow for $110 million. He promotes ventures such as O'Leary Funds and O'Leary Ventures, boasting an estimated net worth of $400 million. However, he faced a class-action lawsuit accusing him of misleading Mattel shareholders about The Learning Company's financial health during its acquisition.

unverified_claim

Article claims 'researchers at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business found' that data center on-site workforce shrinks by an average of 78% after construction, using this to estimate 1,350 permanent jobs at Wonder Valley.

This unverified statistic is used to undermine O'Leary's permanent job claims and portray the project's economic benefits as minimal, potentially misleading readers on industry norms.

unverified_claim

Article states an 'FAQ sheet for the project, found on Utah Gov. Spencer Cox's website, said that the developer for Wonder Valley has "committed to a projected 2,000 permanent jobs"'.

Presents a supposed official commitment as fact without verification, which bolsters the narrative of fluid/overstated job numbers while implying government endorsement of lower figures.

Framing

Headline 'Kevin O'Leary's Utah data center job claims don't check out' and lead 'The real number is far lower' frame O'Leary as misleading, based primarily on a single sourced conversation with project CEO Palandjian revising to 4,000 'fluid' jobs over 10-15 years.

Emphasizes discrepancy to portray hype/overstatement without noting project's enormous scale (9GW, $100B+), phased nature, or that revisions are normal in early planning, sensationalizing a common business adjustment.

Source Credibility

Relies heavily on exclusive conversation with O'Leary Ventures CEO Paul Palandjian for key downward job revision, without independent corroboration or noting potential incentives for the CEO to temper public hype.

Presents CEO's 'current thinking' as authoritative fact, potentially overlooking internal company dynamics or PR strategy in negotiations with MIDA/county.

Missing Context

The Wonder Valley project is a phased $100 billion initiative on 40,000 acres with up to 9 gigawatts capacity, one of the world's largest if built out, involving MIDA negotiations where Box Elder County demanded $16.2 million upfront.

This scale contextualizes job estimates as preliminary for a massive, multi-year development, making 'fluid' revisions expected rather than evidence of overstatement, and highlights high economic stakes amid opposition.

Missing Context

Box Elder County unanimously approved advancing the project on May 4, 2026, after public meetings, despite opposition.

Provides balance to 'fierce opposition' by noting official approval, showing divided community response rather than uniform resistance.

Source Credibility

Byline credits 'Ellen Thomas,' presented as author, but no evidence exists of an Ellen Thomas working as a Business Insider journalist; searches identify only a Sierra Leonean-British actress by that name with no journalism background.

Undermines the article's credibility entirely, as the byline appears fabricated or erroneous, suggesting the piece may not be legitimate reporting from a verified journalist.

Factual Error

Names the project 'Wonder Valley' and ties it directly to O'Leary Ventures CEO Paul Palandjian's job revision, but Wonder Valley is O'Leary's announced Alberta, Canada project; Utah coverage refers to 'Stratos' or unnamed MIDA/Box Elder hyperscale data center involving O'Leary.

Confuses distinct projects, potentially misleading readers on which venture's job claims are being fact-checked and misattributing statements.

unverified_claim

Quotes O'Leary's X post: 'Think about the number of jobs' dismissing protesters, but no such post found.

Attributes unverified social media statement to O'Leary, reinforcing portrayal as dismissive without evidence.

Missing Context

O'Leary is involved in Utah's Stratos data center project via MIDA in Box Elder County, separate from his Canadian Wonder Valley, with coverage confirming his 10,000 construction job claims for the Utah phased development.

Clarifies the Utah project context and verifies O'Leary's claims as reported elsewhere, balancing the 'don't check out' thesis.