Consolidated Statement of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Class A Common Stock	Common Stock Class A Common Stock	Common Stock Class B Common Stock	Common Stock Class C Common Stock	Additional Paid in Capital	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Noncontrolling Interest
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018			55,218	148,481	42,945
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 708,352		$ 55	$ 149	$ 43	$ 140,191	$ 2,693	$ 79	$ 565,142
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	3,846						733		3,113
Equity-based compensation expense	8,145					4,160			3,985
Issuance of Class A common stock upon settlement of restricted stock units, net of shares withheld for tax (shares)			463
Issuance of Class A common stock upon settlement of restricted stock units, net of shares withheld for tax	(1,310)		$ 1			(2,016)			705
Dividends declared	(1,728)						(1,728)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(6,006)								(6,006)
Net deferred tax asset resulting from changes in outside basis difference on investment in Switch, Ltd.	(728)					(728)
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019			55,681	148,481	42,945
Balance at Mar. 31, 2019	711,735		$ 56	$ 149	$ 43	141,607	1,922	79	567,879
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018			55,218	148,481	42,945
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	708,352		$ 55	$ 149	$ 43	140,191	2,693	79	565,142
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	8,518
Net deferred tax asset resulting from changes in outside basis difference on investment in Switch, Ltd.	47,100
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019			78,085	124,870	42,945
Balance at Jun. 30, 2019	691,320		$ 78	$ 125	$ 43	198,231	722	79	492,042
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative adjustment due to adoption of new credit loss standard	1,164						224		940
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019			55,681	148,481	42,945
Balance at Mar. 31, 2019	711,735		$ 56	$ 149	$ 43	141,607	1,922	79	567,879
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	4,672						1,189		3,483
Equity-based compensation expense	7,443					3,800			3,643
Issuance of Class A common stock upon settlement of restricted stock units, net of shares withheld for tax (shares)			1
Issuance of Class A common stock upon settlement of restricted stock units, net of shares withheld for tax	(5)		$ 0			(195)			190
Issuance of restricted stock awards (in shares)			80
Dividends declared	(2,389)						(2,389)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(4,934)								(4,934)
Exchanges of noncontrolling interest for Class A common stock (in shares)			22,323	(22,323)
Exchanges of noncontrolling interest for Class A common stock			$ 22	$ (22)		67,362			(67,362)
Repurchase of common units and cancellation of Class B common stock (in shares)				(1,288)
Repurchase of common units and cancellation of Class B common stock	(13,597)			$ (2)		(2,738)			(10,857)
Recognition of tax receivable agreement liability resulting from exchanges of noncontrolling interest for Class A common stock	(59,476)					(59,476)
Net deferred tax asset resulting from changes in outside basis difference on investment in Switch, Ltd.	47,871					47,871
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019			78,085	124,870	42,945
Balance at Jun. 30, 2019	691,320		$ 78	$ 125	$ 43	198,231	722	79	492,042
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019			89,768	151,047
Balance at Dec. 31, 2019	627,645		$ 90	$ 151		204,711	2,420	79	420,194
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	(3,489)						(1,216)		(2,273)
Equity-based compensation expense	7,524					4,973			2,551
Issuance of Class A common stock upon settlement of restricted stock units, net of shares withheld for tax (shares)			630
Issuance of Class A common stock upon settlement of restricted stock units, net of shares withheld for tax	(3,911)					(3,375)			(536)
Dividends declared	(2,891)						(2,891)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(4,304)								(4,304)
Exchanges of noncontrolling interest for Class A common stock (in shares)			4,637	(4,637)
Exchanges of noncontrolling interest for Class A common stock			$ 5	$ (5)		13,403			(13,403)
Recognition of tax receivable agreement liability resulting from exchanges of noncontrolling interest for Class A common stock	(19,198)					(19,198)
Net deferred tax asset resulting from changes in outside basis difference on investment in Switch, Ltd.	16,610					16,610
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020			95,035	146,410
Balance at Mar. 31, 2020	617,837		$ 95	$ 146		217,124	(1,754)	79	402,147
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019			89,768	151,047
Balance at Dec. 31, 2019	627,645		$ 90	$ 151		204,711	2,420	79	420,194
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	9,847
Issuance of Class A common stock upon settlement of restricted stock units, net of shares withheld for tax (shares)		16,100
Net deferred tax asset resulting from changes in outside basis difference on investment in Switch, Ltd.	61,000
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020			106,767	133,796
Balance at Jun. 30, 2020	605,842		$ 107	$ 134		238,471	98	79	366,953
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative adjustment due to adoption of new credit loss standard	(149)						(67)		(82)
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020			95,035	146,410
Balance at Mar. 31, 2020	617,837		$ 95	$ 146		217,124	(1,754)	79	402,147
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	13,336
Equity-based compensation expense	7,510					5,416			2,094
Issuance of Class A common stock upon settlement of restricted stock units, net of shares withheld for tax (shares)			16
Issuance of Class A common stock upon settlement of restricted stock units, net of shares withheld for tax	(121)					(330)			209
Issuance of Class A common stock upon exercise of stock options (in shares)			169
Issuance of Class A common stock upon exercise of stock options	2,876					596			2,280
Issuance of restricted stock awards (in shares)			59
Dividends declared	(3,245)						(3,245)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(3,934)								(3,934)
Exchanges of noncontrolling interest for Class A common stock (in shares)			11,488	(11,488)
Exchanges of noncontrolling interest for Class A common stock			$ 12	$ (12)		31,840			(31,840)
Repurchase of common units and cancellation of Class B common stock (in shares)				(1,126)
Repurchase of common units and cancellation of Class B common stock	(20,000)					(7,758)			(12,242)
Recognition of tax receivable agreement liability resulting from exchanges of noncontrolling interest for Class A common stock	(52,811)					(52,811)
Net deferred tax asset resulting from changes in outside basis difference on investment in Switch, Ltd.	44,394					44,394
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020			106,767	133,796
Balance at Jun. 30, 2020	605,842		$ 107	$ 134		$ 238,471	98	$ 79	366,953
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative adjustment due to adoption of new credit loss standard	$ 13,336						$ 5,097		$ 8,239