Schedule I - Condensed Financial Information of The Registrant (Parent Company) - Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Aug. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Apr. 23, 2015
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 171,754		$ 142,498	$ 18
Accounts receivable, net	15,281		2,083
Other assets	9,674		970
Total Assets	3,318,752		2,542,636
Liabilities:
Accrued interest payable	27,812		24,440
Derivative liability	6,102		5,427
Dividends payable	94,607		90,507
Contingent consideration	98,600	$ 98,600
Notes and other debt, net	4,028,214		3,505,228
Total liabilities	4,640,645		3,709,542
Shareholders' Deficit:
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value, 50,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding
Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 500,000 shares authorized, issued and outstanding: 155,139 shares at December 31, 2016 and 149,862 at December 31, 2015	15		15
Additional paid-in capital	141,092		1,392
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(6,369)		(5,427)
Distributions in excess of accumulated earnings	(1,537,183)		(1,162,886)
Total shareholders' deficit	(1,402,445)		(1,166,906)	$ 2,508,420
Total Liabilities, Convertible Preferred Stock, and Shareholders' (Deficit) Equity	3,318,752		2,542,636
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock
Liabilities:
Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A, $0.0001 par value, 88 shares authorized, issued and outstanding, $87,500 liquidation value	80,552
CS&L, Inc.
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	131,145		17
Accounts receivable, net	(3)
Other assets	1,066
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	2,801,234		2,458,679
Total Assets	2,933,442		2,458,696
Liabilities:
Accrued interest payable	27,812		24,440
Derivative liability	6,102		5,427
Dividends payable	94,607		90,507
Contingent consideration	98,600
Notes and other debt, net	4,028,214		3,505,228
Total liabilities	4,255,335		3,625,602
Shareholders' Deficit:
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value, 50,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding
Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 500,000 shares authorized, issued and outstanding: 155,139 shares at December 31, 2016 and 149,862 at December 31, 2015	15		15
Additional paid-in capital	141,092		1,392
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(6,369)		(5,427)
Distributions in excess of accumulated earnings	(1,537,183)		(1,162,886)
Total shareholders' deficit	(1,402,445)		(1,166,906)
Total Liabilities, Convertible Preferred Stock, and Shareholders' (Deficit) Equity	2,933,442		$ 2,458,696
CS&L, Inc. | Series A Convertible Preferred Stock
Liabilities:
Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A, $0.0001 par value, 88 shares authorized, issued and outstanding, $87,500 liquidation value	$ 80,552