Organization	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2019
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization	Note 1. Organization Organization and Operations Spirit MTA REIT ("SMTA" or the "Company") operates as an externally managed REIT formed in Maryland that invests in and manages a portfolio of single-tenant, operationally essential real estate throughout the U.S. that is generally leased on a long-term, triple-net basis to tenants operating within retail, office, and industrial property types. Single tenant, operationally essential real estate generally refers to free-standing, commercial real estate facilities where tenants conduct activities that are essential to the generation of their sales and profits. The Company's portfolio as of June 30, 2019 includes (i) an asset-backed securitization trust which issues non-recourse asset-backed securities collateralized by commercial real estate, net-leases and mortgage loans (“Master Trust 2014”), (ii) a single distribution center property leased to a sporting goods tenant encumbered with CMBS debt, and (iii) a portfolio of unencumbered properties. The Company began operations through predecessor legal entities which were wholly-owned subsidiaries of Spirit Realty Capital, Inc. ("Spirit"). On May 31, 2018, Spirit completed the Spin-Off that resulted in the Company's establishment as an independent, publicly traded company. The Spin-Off was effected by means of a pro rata distribution of SMTA common shares to Spirit stockholders of record as of the close of business on the record date. In conjunction with the Spin-Off, SMTA and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Spirit (the "Manager") entered into an Asset Management Agreement under which the Manager provides external management of SMTA. Costs associated with the Spin-Off incurred in the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 totaled $ 5.5 million and $8.5 million, respectively, and are reflected as transaction costs on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income. On January 16, 2019, in connection with the Shopko bankruptcy filing, the Company announced that its Board of Trustees had elected to accelerate its strategic plan by identifying and engaging advisors to explore strategic alternatives focused on maximizing shareholder value. Costs associated with the execution of strategic alternatives in the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 totaled $4.4 million and $5.0 million, respectively, and are reflected as transaction costs on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income. See Note 12 for additional detail on the execution of strategic alternatives. Reclassification Expenses related to Shopko following its bankruptcy filing, including costs incurred in seeking recoveries for the Shopko B-1 Term Loan, in connection with the foreclosure of the Shopko CMBS Loan Agreements and other accounting, consulting and advisory costs, of $2.4 million have been reclassified for the three months ended March 31, 2019 from “general and administrative” to a separate line “Shopko-related expenses” to conform with current reporting on the consolidated statements of operations. This reclassification had no effect on the total reported results of operations.

Organization

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Note 1. Organization

Organization and Operations

Spirit MTA REIT ("SMTA" or the "Company") operates as an externally managed REIT formed in Maryland that invests in and manages a portfolio of single-tenant, operationally essential real estate throughout the U.S. that is generally leased on a long-term, triple-net basis to tenants operating within retail, office, and industrial property types. Single tenant, operationally essential real estate generally refers to free-standing, commercial real estate facilities where tenants conduct activities that are essential to the generation of their sales and profits.

The Company's portfolio as of June 30, 2019 includes (i) an asset-backed securitization trust which issues non-recourse asset-backed securities collateralized by commercial real estate, net-leases and mortgage loans (“Master Trust 2014”), (ii) a single distribution center property leased to a sporting goods tenant encumbered with CMBS debt, and (iii) a portfolio of unencumbered properties.

The Company began operations through predecessor legal entities which were wholly-owned subsidiaries of Spirit Realty Capital, Inc. ("Spirit"). On May 31, 2018, Spirit completed the Spin-Off that resulted in the Company's establishment as an independent, publicly traded company. The Spin-Off was effected by means of a pro rata distribution of SMTA common shares to Spirit stockholders of record as of the close of business on the record date. In conjunction with the Spin-Off, SMTA and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Spirit (the "Manager") entered into an Asset Management Agreement under which the Manager provides external management of SMTA. Costs associated with the Spin-Off incurred in the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 totaled $ 5.5 million and $8.5 million, respectively, and are reflected as transaction costs on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income.

On January 16, 2019, in connection with the Shopko bankruptcy filing, the Company announced that its Board of Trustees had elected to accelerate its strategic plan by identifying and engaging advisors to explore strategic alternatives focused on maximizing shareholder value. Costs associated with the execution of strategic alternatives in the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 totaled $4.4 million and $5.0 million, respectively, and are reflected as transaction costs on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income. See Note 12 for additional detail on the execution of strategic alternatives.

Reclassification

Expenses related to Shopko following its bankruptcy filing, including costs incurred in seeking recoveries for the Shopko B-1 Term Loan, in connection with the foreclosure of the Shopko CMBS Loan Agreements and other accounting, consulting and advisory costs, of $2.4 million have been reclassified for the three months ended March 31, 2019 from “general and administrative” to a separate line “Shopko-related expenses” to conform with current reporting on the consolidated statements of operations. This reclassification had no effect on the total reported results of operations.