Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended												3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended																																																								1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2012 L'Auberge Lake Charles		Dec. 31, 2011 L'Auberge Lake Charles		Dec. 31, 2010 L'Auberge Lake Charles		Dec. 31, 2012 L'Auberge Lake Charles	Dec. 31, 2011 L'Auberge Lake Charles	Dec. 31, 2010 L'Auberge Lake Charles	Dec. 31, 2012 St. Louis		Dec. 31, 2011 St. Louis		Dec. 31, 2010 St. Louis		Dec. 31, 2012 Boomtown New Orleans		Dec. 31, 2011 Boomtown New Orleans		Dec. 31, 2010 Boomtown New Orleans		Dec. 31, 2012 Balterra Casino Resort		Dec. 31, 2011 Balterra Casino Resort		Dec. 31, 2010 Balterra Casino Resort		Dec. 31, 2012 Boomtown Bossier City		Dec. 31, 2011 Boomtown Bossier City		Dec. 31, 2010 Boomtown Bossier City		Dec. 31, 2012 River Downs		Dec. 31, 2011 River Downs		Dec. 31, 2010 River Downs		Dec. 31, 2012 Corporate and Other	Dec. 31, 2011 Corporate and Other	Dec. 31, 2010 Corporate and Other	Dec. 31, 2012 L'Auberge Baton Rouge	Dec. 31, 2011 L'Auberge Baton Rouge	Dec. 31, 2010 L'Auberge Baton Rouge	Dec. 31, 2012 Total Segment Adjusted EBITDA		Dec. 31, 2011 Total Segment Adjusted EBITDA		Dec. 31, 2010 Total Segment Adjusted EBITDA		Dec. 31, 2012 Corporate Expenses		Dec. 31, 2011 Corporate Expenses		Dec. 31, 2010 Corporate Expenses		Dec. 31, 2012 Corporate and Other		Dec. 31, 2011 Corporate and Other		Dec. 31, 2010 Corporate and Other		Apr. 30, 2010 Sugarcane Bay	Sep. 30, 2010 Baton Rouge	Dec. 31, 2012 Baton Rouge	Dec. 31, 2011 Baton Rouge	Dec. 31, 2010 Baton Rouge	Dec. 31, 2012 River City	Dec. 31, 2011 River City	Dec. 31, 2010 River City	Dec. 31, 2012 Other	Dec. 31, 2011 Other	Dec. 31, 2010 Other
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 301,600,000	$ 304,200,000	$ 298,300,000	$ 293,000,000	$ 275,800,000	$ 295,900,000	$ 289,400,000	$ 280,100,000	$ 1,197,103,000		$ 1,141,198,000		$ 1,058,568,000		$ 383,900,000		$ 375,400,000		$ 342,000,000					$ 393,500,000	[1]	$ 382,000,000	[1]	$ 337,100,000	[1]	$ 122,100,000		$ 133,600,000		$ 139,100,000		$ 156,300,000		$ 154,800,000		$ 152,100,000		$ 81,000,000		$ 85,000,000		$ 87,900,000		$ 11,700,000		$ 10,300,000		$ 0					$ 47,900,000	$ 0	$ 0																											$ 700,000	$ 100,000	$ 400,000
Adjusted EBITDA [Abstract]
Adjusted EBITDA									285,100,000	[2]	252,100,000	[2]	213,600,000	[2]	115,500,000	[2]	103,900,000	[2]	92,900,000	[2]				98,700,000	[1],[2]	86,500,000	[1],[2]	62,300,000	[1],[2]	38,000,000	[2]	44,900,000	[2]	43,900,000	[2]	32,000,000	[2]	28,600,000	[2]	30,000,000	[2]	18,300,000	[2]	18,800,000	[2]	20,200,000	[2]	(1,600,000)	[2]	(2,200,000)	[2]	0	[2]	(300,000)	0	0	4,900,000	0	0	305,500,000	[2]	280,500,000	[2]	249,300,000	[2]	(20,400,000)	[2],[3]	(28,400,000)	[2],[3]	(35,700,000)	[2],[3]
Other benefits (costs) [Abstract]
Depreciation and amortization									(115,694,000)		(103,863,000)		(109,745,000)
Pre-opening and development costs									(21,633,000)		(8,817,000)		(13,649,000)																																																																			(16,000,000)	(4,300,000)	(1,200,000)	(100,000)	(200,000)	(9,900,000)	(5,500,000)	(4,300,000)	(2,500,000)
Share-based Compensation Expense									8,700,000		6,600,000		6,127,000
Impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets									0		0		(11,500,000)
Impairment of development costs									0		0		(23,662,000)																																																																	(19,100,000)	(4,600,000)
Write-downs, reserves and recoveries, net									(11,818,000)		(4,163,000)		3,335,000
Net interest expense, net of capitalized interest									(93,687,000)		(95,308,000)		(102,867,000)
Loss from equity method investment					(600,000)				(30,780,000)		(588,000)		0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									(20,718,000)		(183,000)		(1,852,000)
Income tax (expense) benefit									(4,675,000)		(2,335,000)		11,693,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(42,000,000)	6,800,000	12,900,000	(300,000)	17,700,000	11,800,000	(5,200,000)	5,900,000	(22,639,000)		30,196,000		(40,841,000)
Capital expenditures									299,464,000		153,452,000		157,537,000								16,500,000	20,000,000	10,700,000	40,300,000	[1]	13,800,000	[1]	77,900,000	[1]	5,500,000		4,900,000		3,400,000		3,600,000		3,200,000		8,600,000		3,300,000		2,900,000		3,500,000		2,100,000	[4]	100,000	[4]	0	[4]				223,700,000	96,900,000	32,000,000													4,500,000	[4]	11,700,000	[4]	21,400,000	[4]
Assets	$ 2,108,994,000				$ 1,950,619,000				$ 2,108,994,000		$ 1,950,619,000				$ 319,600,000		$ 317,300,000							$ 748,000,000	[1]	$ 752,000,000	[1]			$ 73,800,000		$ 62,400,000				$ 173,000,000		$ 180,000,000				$ 83,200,000		$ 86,100,000				$ 42,700,000		$ 45,500,000							$ 404,000,000	$ 208,500,000														$ 264,700,000		$ 298,800,000

[1] Our St. Louis segment consists of Lumière Place (which includes the Lumière Place Casino, the Pinnacle-owned Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis and HoteLumière) and River City.

[2] We define Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA as earnings before depreciation, amortization, pre-opening and development expenses, non-cash share-based compensation, asset impairment costs, write-downs, reserves, recoveries, gain (loss) on sale of certain assets, interest income and expense, income (loss) from equity method investments, loss on early extinguishment of debt, loss on sale of discontinued operations, discontinued operations and income taxes. We define Adjusted EBITDA for each segment as earnings before depreciation, amortization, pre-opening and development expenses, non-cash share-based compensation, asset impairment costs, write-downs, reserves, recoveries, gain (loss) on sale of certain assets, interest income and expense and income taxes. We use Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA for each segment to compare operating results among our properties and between accounting periods. Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are useful measures because they are used by management as a performance measure to analyze the performance of our business, and is especially relevant in evaluating large, long-lived casino-hotel projects because it provides a perspective on the current effects of operating decisions separated from the substantial non-operational depreciation charges and financing costs of such projects. We eliminate the results from discontinued operations as they are discontinued. We also review pre-opening and development expenses separately; as such expenses are also included in total project costs when assessing budgets and project returns, and because such costs relate to anticipated future revenues and income. We believe that Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are useful measures for investors because it is an indicator of the strength and performance of ongoing business operations, including our ability to service debt and fund capital expenditures, acquisitions and operations. These calculations are commonly used as a basis for investors, analysts and credit rating agencies to evaluate and compare operating performance and value of companies within our industry. In addition, our credit agreement and bond indentures require compliance with financial measures similar to Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA. Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative to operating income as an indicator of performance, as an alternative to cash flows from operating activities as a measure of liquidity, or as an alternative to any other measure provided in accordance with GAAP. Our calculation of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA may be different from the calculation methods used by other companies and, therefore, comparability may be limited.

[3] Corporate expenses represent unallocated payroll, professional fees, travel expenses and other general and administrative expenses not directly related to our casino and hotel operations.

[4]