Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Statements of Operations (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Operating revenues:
Casino	$ 220,857	$ 230,179
Food and beverage	60,685	60,949
Room	27,272	27,858
Other	15,844	16,433
Management fees	9,840	7,765
Gross revenues	334,498	343,184
Promotional allowances	(22,707)	(24,985)
Net revenues	311,791	318,199
Operating cost and expenses:
Casino	84,819	88,162
Food and beverage	41,768	42,294
Room	11,133	10,880
Other	6,159	5,875
Selling, general and administrative	70,489	70,005
Development and preopening expense	140	55
Depreciation and amortization	35,331	30,701
Management fees	11,746	11,781
Write-downs and other charges, net	2,513	451
Total operating costs and expenses	264,098	260,204
Operating income (loss):
Operating (loss) income	47,693	57,995
Losses from subsidiaries	0	0
Earnings from joint ventures	519	545
Operating (loss) income and (losses) earnings from subsidiaries and joint ventures	48,212	58,540
Other expense:
Interest expense, net	(43,299)	(49,620)
Loss on debt extinguishment	(146,787)	0
Change in fair value of derivative instruments	(272)	0
Total other (expense) income	(190,358)	(49,620)
Net (loss) income	(142,146)	8,920
Less: net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,354)	2,086
Net (loss) income applicable to Station Casinos LLC members	(140,792)	6,834
Parent [Member]
Operating revenues:
Casino	0	0
Food and beverage	0	0
Room	0	0
Other	13	5
Management fees	0	0
Gross revenues	13	5
Promotional allowances	0	0
Net revenues	13	5
Operating cost and expenses:
Casino	0	0
Food and beverage	0	0
Room	0	0
Other	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	228	(45)
Development and preopening expense	13	0
Depreciation and amortization	784	657
Management fees	0	0
Write-downs and other charges, net	428	(7)
Total operating costs and expenses	1,453	605
Operating income (loss):
Operating (loss) income	(1,440)	(600)
Losses from subsidiaries	28,764	44,501
Earnings from joint ventures	0	0
Operating (loss) income and (losses) earnings from subsidiaries and joint ventures	27,324	43,901
Other expense:
Interest expense, net	(33,951)	(34,981)
Loss on debt extinguishment	(135,271)
Change in fair value of derivative instruments	(248)
Net (loss) income	(142,146)	8,920
Less: net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,354)	2,086
Net (loss) income applicable to Station Casinos LLC members	(140,792)	6,834
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Operating revenues:
Casino	219,016	228,264
Food and beverage	60,515	60,787
Room	26,522	27,094
Other	15,151	14,867
Management fees	1,286	171
Gross revenues	322,490	331,183
Promotional allowances	(22,583)	(24,864)
Net revenues	299,907	306,319
Operating cost and expenses:
Casino	84,153	87,466
Food and beverage	41,727	42,249
Room	10,639	10,439
Other	4,451	4,638
Selling, general and administrative	65,679	68,105
Development and preopening expense	127	55
Depreciation and amortization	30,403	26,907
Management fees	11,482	11,683
Write-downs and other charges, net	2,081	457
Total operating costs and expenses	250,742	251,999
Operating income (loss):
Operating (loss) income	49,165	54,320
Losses from subsidiaries	(1,205)	3,304
Earnings from joint ventures	519	545
Operating (loss) income and (losses) earnings from subsidiaries and joint ventures	48,479	58,169
Other expense:
Interest expense, net	(6,687)	(12,047)
Loss on debt extinguishment	(11,516)
Change in fair value of derivative instruments	(24)
Net (loss) income	30,252	46,122
Less: net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,354)	2,086
Net (loss) income applicable to Station Casinos LLC members	31,606	44,036
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Operating revenues:
Casino	1,841	1,915
Food and beverage	170	162
Room	750	764
Other	2,862	2,429
Management fees	8,554	7,594
Gross revenues	14,177	12,864
Promotional allowances	(124)	(121)
Net revenues	14,053	12,743
Operating cost and expenses:
Casino	666	696
Food and beverage	41	45
Room	494	441
Other	1,708	1,237
Selling, general and administrative	6,764	2,813
Development and preopening expense	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	4,144	3,137
Management fees	264	98
Write-downs and other charges, net	4	1
Total operating costs and expenses	14,085	8,468
Operating income (loss):
Operating (loss) income	(32)	4,275
Losses from subsidiaries	0	0
Earnings from joint ventures	0	0
Operating (loss) income and (losses) earnings from subsidiaries and joint ventures	(32)	4,275
Other expense:
Interest expense, net	(2,661)	(2,592)
Loss on debt extinguishment	0
Change in fair value of derivative instruments	0
Net (loss) income	(2,693)	1,683
Less: net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,354)	2,086
Net (loss) income applicable to Station Casinos LLC members	(1,339)	(403)
Eliminations [Member]
Operating revenues:
Casino	0	0
Food and beverage	0	0
Room	0	0
Other	(2,182)	(868)
Management fees	0	0
Gross revenues	(2,182)	(868)
Promotional allowances	0	0
Net revenues	(2,182)	(868)
Operating cost and expenses:
Casino	0	0
Food and beverage	0	0
Room	0	0
Other	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	(2,182)	(868)
Development and preopening expense	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
Management fees	0	0
Write-downs and other charges, net	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	(2,182)	(868)
Operating income (loss):
Operating (loss) income	0	0
Losses from subsidiaries	(27,559)	(47,805)
Earnings from joint ventures	0	0
Operating (loss) income and (losses) earnings from subsidiaries and joint ventures	(27,559)	(47,805)
Other expense:
Interest expense, net	0	0
Loss on debt extinguishment	0
Change in fair value of derivative instruments	0
Net (loss) income	(27,559)	(47,805)
Less: net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest	2,708	(4,172)
Net (loss) income applicable to Station Casinos LLC members	$ (30,267)	$ (43,633)