Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Site rental revenues		$ 164,056	$ 153,215	$ 327,050	$ 306,296
Operating expenses:
Site rental cost of operations—third parties	[1]	38,355	37,868	75,862	75,681
Site rental cost of operations—related parties	[1]	9,700	9,101	19,306	18,041
Site rental cost of operations—total	[1]	48,055	46,969	95,168	93,722
Management fee—related party		12,031	11,683	24,020	23,290
Asset write-down charges		0	0	344	0
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		52,731	52,543	105,432	105,172
Total operating expenses		112,817	111,195	224,964	222,184
Operating income (loss)		51,239	42,020	102,086	84,112
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs		(9,968)	(9,968)	(19,937)	(19,937)
Other income (expense)		40	(182)	(27)	849
Income (loss) before income taxes		41,311	31,870	82,122	65,024
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		(93)	(88)	(186)	(176)
Net income (loss)		$ 41,218	$ 31,782	$ 81,936	$ 64,848

[1] Exclusive of depreciation, amortization and accretion shown separately and certain indirect costs included in the management fee.