Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 38,375	$ 31,542	$ 29,318
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment	142,738	119,945	106,666
Loss on disposal of property and equipment	362	586	1,206
Deferred income taxes	4,530	2,713	1,943
Amortization of debt issuance costs and original issue discount	1,840	1,636	1,636
Credit loss expense (benefit)	531	(73)	207
Unrealized loss on interest rate swaps	15,927	14,014	0
Equity in losses on investments	0	0	331
Loss on extinguishment of debt	245	0	0
Equity-based compensation	28,733	29,524	35,733
Amortization of portfolio energy credits	1,316	1,844	2,467
Cost of revenue for sales-type leases	3,436	1,082	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	15	(5,492)	(187)
Prepaid expenses	(1,034)	(775)	(1,744)
Other current assets	1,582	(545)	(231)
Other assets	1,439	3,447	(5,353)
Accounts payable	(186)	(892)	(312)
Accrued salaries and benefits	(944)	570	47
Accrued interest	6,665	153	22
Accrued expenses and other	(1,105)	2,045	3,287
Deferred revenue	(4,111)	12,437	2,196
Customer deposits	1,518	868	1,328
Operating lease liabilities	(5,193)	(4,886)	0
Other long-term liabilities	(439)	(330)	(230)
Net cash provided by operating activities	236,240	209,413	178,330
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Acquisition of property and equipment	(347,040)	(307,712)	(275,524)
Purchase of portfolio energy credits	(2,026)	(1,703)	(2,608)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	2	33	62
Acquisition of intangible asset	0	0	(25)
Net cash used in investing activities	(349,064)	(309,382)	(278,095)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from borrowings	710,000	170,000	0
Repayment of borrowings, including finance lease liabilities	(465,249)	(6,876)	(6,333)
Payment of debt issuance costs and original issue discount	(7,050)	0	0
Change in long-term deposit	1,072	921	(996)
Payment of tax withholdings upon settlement of restricted stock unit awards	(4,569)	(1,448)	(1,232)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	3,001	0	0
Settlement of option loans	0	0	314
Repurchase of common units	(20,000)	(91,046)	(60,644)
Dividends paid to Class A common stockholders	(17,329)	(9,051)	(2,835)
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interest	(21,054)	(19,370)	(11,615)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	178,822	43,130	(83,341)
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	65,998	(56,839)	(183,106)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS—Beginning of year	24,721	81,560	264,666
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS—End of year	90,719	24,721	81,560
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	21,764	26,238	24,841
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING INFORMATION:
(Decrease) increase in liabilities incurred to acquire property and equipment	(14,586)	24,238	8,807
Increase in property and equipment related to transfer from long-term deposit	244	0	0
(Decrease) increase in accrued construction payables incurred related to long-term deposit	(925)	993	0
Increase in liabilities related to purchase of portfolio energy credits	298	0	0
Increase in dividends payable on unvested restricted stock units	554	363	126
Decrease in noncontrolling interest as a result of exchanges for Class A common stock	(76,677)	(101,450)	(53,403)
Recognition of liabilities under tax receivable agreement	116,789	109,541	52,535
Increase in deferred tax asset resulting from changes in outside basis difference on investment in Switch, Ltd.	93,359	88,588	29,512
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities	3,294	44	0
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new finance leases	138	39,036	0
(Decrease) increase in distributions payable on unvested common units	(151)	736	0
Dividends payable settled with shares of Class A common stock	147	30	0
(Decrease) increase in accounts receivable due to refund of long-term deposit	0	(24)	2,543
Settlement of liability incurred upon acquisition of capital lease asset	0	0	(1,976)
Distributions used for payment of option loans and related interest	$ 0	$ 0	$ 2