AGP Executive Report

Data Center Power: Oracle has kept its Salt Lake City-area data center moving with trucked-in natural gas while pipeline infrastructure lags, highlighting the power bottlenecks facing Utah’s AI expansion. Statewide, most Utahns oppose building more data centers, and Iron County rules are headed to a public hearing as residents and tribal leaders seek a delay. Business Strains: Utah-based Crumbl’s CEO says the company’s downturn is his responsibility as 57 stores have closed this year and dozens more franchises are for sale. Real Estate Finance: eXp Realty and Newrez announced a mortgage joint venture at a Salt Lake City event, aiming to link lending services with eXp’s agent network. Industrial Growth: Ares Strategic Mining plans a ribbon-cutting for its new fluorspar processing plant in Delta, adding a domestic critical-minerals operation. Water Costs: A state study supporting a proposed $1.2 billion water fee did not account for existing revenue, raising questions about the basis for the proposed increases.

Advanced Manufacturing: Baxter Aerospace plans to invest $19.55 million and add 90 jobs at a new Washington County facility after receiving a state economic-development incentive. AI and Health Care: Utah is testing an AI system that can prescribe acne treatments, a regulatory first that could open new commercial pathways while raising questions about oversight. Data Center Debate: Residents are pushing back against proposed facilities in Iron and Carbon counties as Utah weighs rules and the power and infrastructure needed to support rapid growth. Household Costs: Utahns are growing more pessimistic about the economy as expenses rise, adding pressure on businesses and policymakers to address affordability.

Business Growth: Draper-based Swire Coca-Cola says its expanded Spokane warehouse is handling 1.5% more cases year over year, with capacity to process nearly 8 million annually as demand rises for sports drinks, milk products and energy drinks. Provo Development: The city is weighing a deal for a 137-room hotel, restaurant, gas station and retail space near the airport and Epic Sports Park. The developer estimates construction at $35 million; the proposal would provide tax incentives. Consumer Confidence: Utah sentiment fell 3.45% in September, reversing three months of gains as gas, grocery and housing costs strain household budgets. Critical Minerals: A University of Utah-led team won a $7.5 million federal award to assess critical-mineral potential in coal seams, mine waste and industrial wastewater across the Rocky Mountain region. Green River Project: Anson Resources raised its modeled project value to US$1.05 billion, citing Utah incentives.

Capital Markets: Salt Lake City-based FireFly Robotics filed for a Nasdaq direct listing, giving existing shareholders a route to sell shares without raising new capital. Revenue rose to $30.5 million in the first half of 2026, though its net loss widened to $9.1 million. Health Tech: Utah approved Nolla Health’s pilot to use AI to issue initial acne prescriptions, starting with 100 patients and expanding in stages with physician oversight. The company says the $4.99-a-month service could cut appointment delays and costs. Data Center Debate: Grand County residents and Carbon County officials are weighing the power and water demands of proposed data centers, as Utah faces broader questions about where the facilities fit. Tourism and Small Business: Park City is considering a funding pool to help local businesses prepare for the 2034 Winter Olympics. Delta and SkyWest are also adding four routes from Salt Lake City, expanding regional air links.

AI in healthcare: Utah has named six outside groups to evaluate AI tools for prescription refills, acne treatment and women’s health pilots, with the companies paying the evaluators—raising fresh questions about independence and oversight. State policy: Gov. Cox’s pro-human AI approach continues to expand Utah’s “sandbox,” including the path for AI to issue initial acne prescriptions. Local food economy: Utah schools are seeking Utah beef and fruit vendors to plug into school meal programs, building on prior contracts that drove about $1.9M in local purchases. Energy and environment: The Great Salt Lake Tracker is back as the lake drops below 30% of natural volume, with advocates pushing for the 2027 legislative session to prioritize water needs. Immigration detention: A shuttered Marana prison in Arizona is set to reopen as an ICE facility under a new contract. Business/industry: Becton Dickinson announced a $19B U.S. manufacturing investment tied to federal tariff relief milestones, including a major footprint in Sandy, Utah.

AI in Health Care: Utah has authorized Nolla Health’s acne pilot that lets an AI system generate initial prescriptions, with two Utah-licensed physicians reviewing before the pharmacy step—then regulators will decide whether it can move to more autonomous prescribing. Elections & Cost Pressures: A Deseret News/Hinckley Institute survey finds inflation and the U.S. economy top voters’ concerns heading into the midterms, with affordability driving decision-making. Downtown Tourism Prep: Salt Lake Temple opening crowds are expected to bring about 22,000 visitors daily, pushing downtown businesses to ramp up staffing and speed. Local Governance: Easton Town Council discussed potential bans on license plate readers, weighing privacy concerns against legal uncertainty. Aviation Competition: Delta and United are adding new nonstop routes tied to Salt Lake and Denver, intensifying service options for travelers. Business Spotlight: First Watch is expanding rapidly and says it’s protecting its culture as it scales. Sports Business: United Airlines will launch or resume 10 routes in October, including new service tied to winter schedule changes. Community & Culture: A Park City fundraiser “Stay Wild with Gracie” is backing wild horse rescue efforts.

AI Health Regulation: Utah is expanding its Pro-Human AI sandbox with new clinical pilots, including Intermountain Health and University of Utah Health, plus outside evaluators to test safety and usefulness. AI Prescriptions: Nolla Health’s Nolla Derm now lets eligible Utah patients get initial acne prescriptions via AI after a facial scan, with out-of-range cases routed to licensed clinicians. Cyber & Consumer Safety: Utah residents are being hit by increasingly convincing text-message scams (“smishing”), with warnings that links and personal-data prompts can drain accounts fast. Crypto Banking Fight: Rain has applied for a U.S. national trust bank charter to custody digital assets and issue dollar-backed stablecoins, escalating a legal dispute with community bankers and the OCC. Water Costs: A new analysis finds household drinking water bills rose faster than inflation and income from 2015 to 2025, squeezing budgets nationwide. Great Salt Lake: Utah lawmakers heard that invasive phragmites removal could boost water supplies, with “low-hanging fruit” reed-killing efforts underway. Food & Antitrust: Utah Food Bank received its first shipment of 1.5 million eggs tied to Utah’s price-fixing settlement against egg producers. Local Governance: Salt Lake City quietly dropped a promised pool from Glendale Park plans, drawing west-side criticism.

Ski Industry & Consumer Deals: Mountain Capital Partners says it will sell tens of thousands of $9 single-day lift tickets across all nine of its U.S. ski resorts, with select tickets including resort credit and kids 12 and under skiing free via its Power Kids Pass. Sports & Local Business Spotlight: Austin Smotherman won his first PGA Tour title at the Bank of Utah Championship in Ivins, earning a two-year exemption and a spot in major events—another reminder of how Utah tournaments keep drawing national attention. M&A & Environmental Services: Clean Harbors completed its $775 million acquisitions of EnviroServe and ES&H, expanding waste collection and emergency response operations, including Utah-based EnviroServe. Food Prices & Utah Impact: Utah’s egg settlement shipment—1.512 million eggs—arrived at the Utah Food Bank after the state’s price-fixing case against major egg producers. Privacy & Legal Risk: New research says U.S. companies are on pace to pay about $1.4 billion in privacy settlements this year, driven largely by older wiretapping-style laws. Tech & Marketing: Sagum launched sagum.ai, an AI marketing suite aimed at helping brands generate and test more ad and landing-page variations faster. Utah Fraud Watch: A new study ranks Utah among the states most likely to be scammed online, with high average losses per incident. Energy & Policy: A Senate permitting reform push would limit permit revocations, strengthen FERC’s transmission authority, and address how data centers pay for grid upgrades.

PGA Tour Win in Southern Utah: Austin Smotherman closed with a 3-under 68 to win the Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert Resort in Ivins, his first PGA Tour title in his 100th start, earning a two-year exemption and a spot in the 2028 Championship Series. Utah Sports Spotlight: BYU’s Kihei Akina matched his best PGA Tour form with a solo ninth-place finish after a 6-under 65 Sunday, qualifying him for the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. Local Retail Growth: Lin’s Fresh Market officially opened its new store in Enoch, celebrating with community partners and marking another step in the retailer’s expansion. Homebuyer Watch: A Utah homeowner story highlights concerns about “final notice” home warranty mailers and pressure tactics that can make cancellation difficult. Higher Rates Hit Utah Households: Treasury yields spiked this week, pushing mortgage rates higher and raising costs for borrowers already dealing with inflation. UFC Returns to Utah: UFC 332’s Delta Center run underscored Salt Lake City’s growing pull for major sports and entertainment events, with organizers pointing to sold-out history and renewed momentum.

Utah Business & Economy: Rancho Markets keeps expanding its Latino-focused grocery footprint, opening its 10th store in American Fork and signaling another location in the works. Aviation & Innovation: Joby Aviation completed a supervised autonomous cross-country flight into Utah, a step aimed at informing safety standards for future advanced air mobility in the state. Higher Ed & Public Safety: The Utah System of Higher Education approved a security review after the Charlie Kirk killing at UVU, with recommendations that include standardized event security and better real-time threat communication. Energy & Permitting: West Virginia manufacturers are watching a bipartisan Senate permitting reform push that aims to speed up traditional and clean energy projects—an issue that could ripple into regional development timelines. Travel & Tourism: Delta adds a new Salt Lake City route to Flagstaff starting June 7, 2027, boosting western connectivity for Utah travelers. Nonprofit & Local Services: Recycle Utah’s Dumpster Days return Oct. 8-10 in Park City for Summit County residents, with drop-off limits and no hazardous materials.

PGA Tour Spotlight: Austin Smotherman shot 65 to take a one-shot lead into Sunday’s final round of the Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert Resort, chasing his first PGA Tour win; Doug Ghim sits just behind after a 64. U of U Workforce: The University of Utah says it plans to cut up to 855 operational jobs (about 15%) in a modernization effort over the next nine months, citing rising expenses and efficiency goals. UFC in Salt Lake City: Natalia Silva won the vacant women’s flyweight title at UFC 332, beating Cong Wang by unanimous decision in a card that set a UFC record for first-round knockouts. Local Business Scam Alert: A Salt Lake-area restaurant owner says she lost $1,500 to fake Utah State Fairpark vendor offers, prompting officials to warn businesses to verify before paying. Cost of Living Watch: Utah gas prices hit $5 a gallon as inflation cools but stays above target, adding pressure to household budgets. Community & Culture: Sandy’s Breakaway Utah drew heavy crowds and near-full hotel occupancy, while residents filed noise complaints from the late-night electronic music festival.

Gambling Crackdown: LDS President D. Todd Christofferson used General Conference to call gambling “morally wrong,” warning that smartphones have made betting and prediction markets too easy and too constant. Legal & Privacy: A West Jordan woman accused of illegally accessing her divorce attorney’s computer and using her credentials to reach confidential files was charged in 3rd District Court. Public Lands: New BLM director Steve Pearce outlined how he’ll manage the agency’s vast surface and subsurface holdings while navigating the public lands divide. Energy Policy: A bipartisan Senate energy bill would let opponents sue (and seek fines) if an administration blocks permits for an entire class of projects like solar or wind. Defense Manufacturing: The Air Force has started construction of a new B-21 Raider final assembly line at Plant 42, targeting a 25% production capacity increase. Healthcare Costs: ACA marketplace enrollment fell 4.9% in 2026 while premiums rose 19.7%, with more shoppers shifting to cheaper plan tiers. Retail Expansion: 7 Brew is buying 63 former Salad and Go locations after a bankruptcy-approved sale, with Utah-based Swig reportedly seeking remaining sites. Utah Economy & Housing: Mortgage rates hit a three-year high, adding pressure to housing affordability as home price cuts meet tighter borrowing costs.

Climate & Costs: NOAA says the contiguous U.S. just logged its hottest summer on record, with Utah among states hitting warmest-or-joint-warmest levels—another reminder for businesses planning for heat, energy demand, and outdoor operations. Corporate Moves: Avatar Offroad is relocating its HQ from Sandy, Utah to Grand Junction, Colorado, backed by state incentives and aiming to add 30 jobs over four years. Local Housing & Growth: Pocatello City Council approved the first phase of Northgate Ridge, clearing the way for 110 homes and setting up a larger master plan. Consumer Protection: The FTC and Utah AG are suing Lens.com over allegedly deceptive pricing and hidden fees that can double contact-lens costs. Energy, Data Centers & Public Lands: Utah’s 3rd Congressional District candidates Celeste Maloy and Kent Udell sparred on nuclear power, data-center rules, Bears Ears monument boundaries, and water/drought. Travel & Air Service: Delta will add nonstop Salt Lake City–Flagstaff service in 2027 after a $1.3M local push. Schools & Food Supply: USBE seeks Utah beef and tree-fruit vendors for school meal contracts via a new RFP. Elections Watch: West Hills incorporation faces voter-residency challenges, with the clerk reviewing whether 18 challenged voters can vote.

Utah Courts & Tech: A federal judge blocked key parts of Utah’s porn-site age-verification push, ruling the “actual location” requirement is too burdensome for interstate commerce—an early win for major adult platforms. Energy & Permitting: A bipartisan Senate permitting reform deal is taking shape after negotiations with the White House, aiming to speed reviews for energy and infrastructure projects as electricity demand rises—especially with AI data centers. Housing & Growth: A 217-unit Bluffdale apartment project near The Point has lined up equity financing and a $33M construction loan, underscoring continued multifamily momentum along the Wasatch Front. Mortgage Pressure: Mortgage rates jumped to about a three-year high, pushing borrowers to the sidelines and squeezing housing affordability. Business & Cybersecurity: A new analysis highlights how common “easy” passwords remain widely reused, urging employers to lean harder on multi-factor authentication and password managers. Travel & Outdoor Economy: Travel + Leisure’s Eddie Bauer Adventure Club is expanding its outdoor hospitality network, with a new Trail Partners lineup that builds on its Moab Basecamp. Public Lands & Tourism: Antelope Island State Park opened a much larger visitor center with interactive exhibits, a boost for Utah’s visitor economy.

Utah Housing Policy: A new Oct. 1 detached ADU law is now in effect, requiring covered cities to permit detached accessory dwelling units on qualifying lots (with limits on parking and continued local rules on setbacks, size, and utilities), raising new questions for Salt Lake County homeowners. State Government & Community: Gov. Spencer Cox honored 24 state employees with the Governor’s Award for Excellence, and the administration is kicking off the statewide Utah Reads Read-a-Thon with a Capitol rotunda event and school visits. Local Business & Consumer Watch: Admiral Beverage is recalling 7UP Tropical “Zero Sugar” cans in Utah after some were mislabeled and actually contain full-sugar soda. Tech & Neighborhood Impact: West Jordan residents say data center generator noise is disrupting daily life and driving property concerns, as the data center boom faces mounting local pushback. Sports & Local Economy: At the Bank of Utah Championship, PGA Tour rookie Zach Bauchou surged to a career-best 62 and the outright lead, while the Utah Mammoth opened their NHL season with a 6-0 shutout over the Chicago Blackhawks.

Utah Business & Economy: Utah’s Wasatch and Uinta Mountains are among Western regions seeing the biggest wildfire-driven water risks, with new Nature research finding burned area nearly doubling in watersheds serving 100,000+ people. AI & Infrastructure: Utah Rep. John Curtis and Delaware Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester are pushing new federal data-center transparency bills after another Senate attempt failed, as residents worry about costs and environmental impacts. Local Tech & Defense: Lindon-based Fortem Technologies raised $50M in a Lockheed Martin-led round to scale counter-drone systems, including its SkyDome platform. Energy & Industry: A proposed nuclear-powered data center campus in Utah is drawing attention as the broader “FORTRESS America” defense supply-chain push spotlights rare-earth and energy resilience. Housing & Schools: Utah’s State Board of Education issued an RFP for Utah beef and tree-fruit vendors to expand local food in school meal programs. Business & Legal: Former Utah Rep. Trevor Lee faces his first court date Oct. 28 on felony fraud and forgery charges tied to a $1M home loan. Utah Spotlight: A DNA-based case update has Douglas Stewart Carter step out of Utah custody after 41 years on death row, with prosecutors withdrawing the death-penalty pursuit.