INCOME TAXES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Current:
Total current income tax expense (benefit)	$ 30,846	$ 18,416	$ 24,540
Deferred:
Total deferred income tax expense (benefit)	(19,827)	648	(13,287)
Total:
Income tax expense	$ 11,019	$ 19,064	$ 11,253
Reasons for which effective income tax rate differed from the federal statutory rate
Income tax expense at federal statutory rate	35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Income passed through to non-controlling interests	(27.60%)	(24.20%)	(34.90%)
State and local taxes, net of federal benefit	0.90%	5.60%	0.40%
Foreign taxes	(0.90%)	1.40%	0.10%
Permanent items	(2.20%)	6.00%	2.20%
Other, net	(1.70%)	0.90%	(1.10%)
Valuation allowance	0.20%	(1.30%)	0.30%
Total effective rate	3.70%	23.40%	2.00%
Deferred tax liabilities
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance	$ 500	$ (1,400)
Net operating loss carryforwards	25,000
State operating loss carryforward	800
Ares Management L.P
Current:
U.S. federal income tax	19,419	12,064	$ 12,801
State and local income tax	3,706	4,839	1,719
Foreign income tax (benefit)	8,458	1,509	1,613
Total current income tax expense (benefit)	31,583	18,412	16,133
Deferred:
U.S. federal income tax (benefit)	(14,247)	356	123
State and local income tax (benefit)	(1,400)	306	210
Foreign income tax (benefit)	(4,180)	(14)	70
Total deferred income tax expense (benefit)	(19,827)	648	403
Total:
U.S. federal income tax	5,172	12,420	12,924
State and local income tax	2,306	5,145	1,929
Foreign income tax	4,278	1,495	1,683
Income tax expense	11,756	19,060	16,536
Deferred tax assets
Net operating losses	99	1,623
Investment in partnerships	3,774	0
Other, net	2,897	1,330
Total gross deferred tax assets	6,770	2,953
Valuation allowance	(39)	(2,953)
Total deferred tax assets, net	6,731	0
Deferred tax liabilities
Investment in partnerships	0	(13,846)
Other, net	0	(7,442)
Total deferred tax liabilities	0	(21,288)
Net deferred tax assets (liabilities)	6,731	(21,288)
Consolidated Funds
Current:
U.S. federal income tax	0	0	6,807
State and local income tax	0	0	1,564
Foreign income tax (benefit)	(737)	4	36
Total current income tax expense (benefit)	(737)	4	8,407
Deferred:
U.S. federal income tax (benefit)	0	0	(9,958)
State and local income tax (benefit)	0	0	(2,832)
Foreign income tax (benefit)	0	0	(900)
Total deferred income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	(13,690)
Total:
U.S. federal income tax	0	0	(3,151)
State and local income tax	0	0	(1,268)
Foreign income tax	(737)	4	(864)
Income tax expense	(737)	4	$ (5,283)
Deferred tax assets
Net operating losses	4,951	1,538
Other, net	53	102
Total gross deferred tax assets	5,004	1,640
Valuation allowance	(5,004)	(1,640)
Total deferred tax assets, net	$ 0	$ 0