Segment Information - Information About Reported Segments (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014 Segments	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Operating Segments	5us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments
Net revenues from external customers	$ 812,934us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet	$ 779,325us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet	$ 731,296us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet
Revenues	0us-gaap_Revenues	0us-gaap_Revenues	0us-gaap_Revenues
Adjusted Segment EBITDA	207,528chdn_AdjustedSegmentEBITDA	180,837chdn_AdjustedSegmentEBITDA	163,089chdn_AdjustedSegmentEBITDA
Adjusted Corporate EBITDA	(5,037)chdn_AdjustedCorporateEBITDA	(4,606)chdn_AdjustedCorporateEBITDA	(4,834)chdn_AdjustedCorporateEBITDA
Insurance Recoveries, Net of Losses	431chdn_InsuranceRecoveriesNetOfLosses	375chdn_InsuranceRecoveriesNetOfLosses	7,006chdn_InsuranceRecoveriesNetOfLosses
Acquisition related charges	(3,826)	0	0
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs	(6,367)	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Deferred Revenue of Acquisition	(4,497)	0	0
Illinois HRE Trust Fund Proceeds	0chdn_IllinoisHRETrustFundProceeds	4,541chdn_IllinoisHRETrustFundProceeds	0chdn_IllinoisHRETrustFundProceeds
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense	(11,932)	(21,482)	(13,993)
Pre-opening expenses	(27)us-gaap_PreOpeningCosts	(3,620)us-gaap_PreOpeningCosts	0us-gaap_PreOpeningCosts
MVG interest expense, net	(2,546)us-gaap_InterestExpenseRelatedParty	(170)us-gaap_InterestExpenseRelatedParty	0us-gaap_InterestExpenseRelatedParty
Asset impairment loss	(4,843)us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges	0us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges	0us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
Other Nonrecurring Expense	(3,287)us-gaap_OtherNonrecurringExpense	(2,500)us-gaap_OtherNonrecurringExpense	0us-gaap_OtherNonrecurringExpense
Depreciation and amortization	(68,257)us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	(61,750)us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	(55,600)us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization
Interest Income (Expense), Net	(20,822)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	(6,119)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	(4,441)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet
Income tax provision	(30,161)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(30,473)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(33,075)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Earnings from continuing operations	46,357	55,033	58,152
Discontinued Operation, Net Gain (Loss)	0	(133)	124
Net earnings and comprehensive income	46,357chdn_NetEarningsAndComprehensiveIncome	54,900chdn_NetEarningsAndComprehensiveIncome	58,276chdn_NetEarningsAndComprehensiveIncome
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	50.00%
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of ($70) tax effect	(125)	0	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	46,232us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	54,900us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	58,276us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax
Racing Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	261,453	274,269	302,088
Revenues	14,601	12,495	13,157
Adjusted Segment EBITDA	61,160	50,275	54,357
Casino Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	329,010	297,473	223,112
Adjusted Segment EBITDA	101,106	80,631	64,231
TwinSpires [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	190,333	184,541	183,279
Revenues	958	853	836
Adjusted Segment EBITDA	45,282	49,122	44,618
Big Fish Games [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	13,855	0	0
Adjusted Segment EBITDA	3,837	0	0
Intersegment Elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	(19,689)	(17,757)	(17,459)
Other Investments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	17,125	21,899	21,785
Revenues	4,130	4,409	3,466
Adjusted Segment EBITDA	(3,857)	809	(117)
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	1,158	1,143	1,032
Churchill Downs \| Racing Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	143,191	132,845	124,255
Revenues	7,038	6,686	5,592
Arlington Park
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number Of Off Track Betting Palors	10
Arlington Park \| Racing Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	60,312	64,483	69,077
Revenues	5,767	3,395	4,712
Calder \| Racing Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	19,325	36,264	64,566
Revenues	707	1,263	1,583
Fair Grounds
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number Of Off Track Betting Palors	12
Fair Grounds \| Racing Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	38,625	40,677	44,190
Revenues	1,089	1,151	1,270
Calder Casinos \| Casino Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	77,003	78,951	77,864
Fair Grounds Slots \| Casino Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	40,774	42,156	42,881
VSI \| Casino Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	34,369	35,931	35,433
Harlows Casino \| Casino Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	50,199	52,440	56,604
Oxford Casino \| Casino Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	76,526	34,350	0
Riverwalk Casino \| Casino Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues from external customers	$ 50,139	$ 53,645	$ 10,330

Amount of increase (decrease) in the value of the earnout and deferred founder liability

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Corporate earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, insurance recoveries net of losses, HRE Trust Fund proceeds, share based compensation expenses, pre-opening expenses, including those of its equity investments, the impairment of assets and other charges or recoveries

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Segment earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, insurance recoveries net of losses, HRE Trust Fund proceeds, share based compensation expenses, pre-opening expenses, including those of its equity investments, the impairment of assets and other charges or recoveries

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Proceeds received from the Illinois riverboat licenses under the HRE Trust

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The acquisition's increase (decrease) during the reporting period, excluding the portion taken into income, in the liability reflecting revenue yet to earned for which cash or other forms of consideration was received or recorded as a receivable

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Number Of Off Track Betting Palors

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Represents the expense recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

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Amount after tax of increase (decrease) in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from net income and other comprehensive income, attributable to parent entity. Excludes changes in equity resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners.

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The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

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Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to the parent. Also defined as revenue less expenses and taxes from ongoing operations before extraordinary items but after deduction of those portions of income or loss from continuing operations that are allocable to noncontrolling interests.

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Amount of income (loss) from a disposal group, net of income tax before extraordinary items allocable to noncontrolling interests. Includes, net of tax, income (loss) from operations during the phase-out period, gain (loss) on disposal, provision (or any reversals of earlier provisions) for loss on disposal, and adjustments of a prior period gain (loss) on disposal.

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Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

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Amount of interest expense incurred on a debt or other obligation to related party.

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The net amount of operating interest income (expense).

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Number of operating segments. An operating segment is a component of an enterprise: (a) that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses (including revenues and expenses relating to transactions with other components of the same enterprise), (b) whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise's chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and (c) for which discrete financial information is available. An operating segment may engage in business activities for which it has yet to earn revenues, for example, start-up operations may be operating segments before earning revenues.

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Amount after tax and reclassification adjustments of gain (loss) on foreign currency translation adjustments, foreign currency transactions designated and effective as economic hedges of a net investment in a foreign entity and intra-entity foreign currency transactions that are of a long-term-investment nature.

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Amount of other expense that is infrequent in occurrence or unusual in nature.

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Expenditures associated with opening new locations which are noncapital in nature and expensed as incurred.

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Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

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Aggregate revenue during the period from services rendered in the normal course of business, after deducting allowances and discounts.

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