Consolidating Condensed Financial Information - Statements of Cash Flows (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 186,906,000		$ 131,809,000		$ 88,683,000
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses	10,784,000		0		35,477,000
Equity method investment, inclusive of capitalized interest	24,408,000		98,383,000		0
Purchase of held-to-maturity debt securities	20,062,000		0		0
Escrow refund (deposit)	25,000,000		0		(25,000,000)
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(302,079,000)		(293,376,000)		(130,651,000)
Proceeds from Credit Facility	(47,500,000)		(99,000,000)		(165,379,000)
Repayments under Credit Facility	103,500,000		43,000,000		202,298,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt	646,750,000		0		350,000,000
Repayments of Long-term Debt	391,500,000		10,104,000		200,008,000
Purchase of treasury shares	51,000,000		0		0
Payment for business combinations	4,300,000		45,216,000		0
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment	4,295,000		3,675,000		14,901,000
Cash provided by financing activities	136,671,000		46,474,000		108,158,000
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0		0		(379,000)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	21,498,000		(115,093,000)		65,811,000
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year	80,294,000		195,387,000		129,576,000
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	101,792,000		80,294,000		195,387,000
Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(140,000,000)		(95,000,000)		(32,000,000)
Capital expenditures	(4,100,000)		(11,100,000)		(2,300,000)
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses					0
Other Operating Activites					1,500,000
Equity method investment, inclusive of capitalized interest	0		0
Purchase of held-to-maturity debt securities	(4,500,000)
Escrow refund (deposit)	0				0
Other Investing Activites	100,000
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(8,500,000)		(11,100,000)		(700,000)
Proceeds from Credit Facility	47,500,000		99,000,000		165,400,000
Repayments under Credit Facility	(103,500,000)		(43,000,000)		(202,300,000)
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt	646,800,000				350,000,000
Repayments of Long-term Debt	(391,500,000)				(200,000,000)
Purchase of treasury shares	(51,000,000)
Debt Issuance Cost and other financing costs					(16,800,000)
Payment for business combinations			0
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment			0		100,000
Other	(11,600,000)		(9,600,000)		11,900,000
Cash provided by financing activities	136,700,000		46,400,000		108,200,000
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents					0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(11,800,000)		(59,700,000)		75,500,000
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year	17,300,000		77,000,000		1,500,000
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	5,500,000		17,300,000		77,000,000
100% Owned Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	277,700,000	[1]	190,400,000	[1]	160,700,000	[1]
Capital expenditures	(294,800,000)	[1]	(142,100,000)	[1]	(155,200,000)	[1]
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses					0
Other Operating Activites					100,000
Equity method investment, inclusive of capitalized interest	(300,000)		0
Purchase of held-to-maturity debt securities	0
Escrow refund (deposit)	25,000,000				(25,000,000)
Other Investing Activites	17,900,000
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(252,200,000)	[1]	(184,000,000)	[1]	(175,800,000)	[1]
Proceeds from Credit Facility	0		0		0
Repayments under Credit Facility	0		0		0
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt	0				0
Repayments of Long-term Debt	0				0
Purchase of treasury shares	0
Debt Issuance Cost and other financing costs					0
Payment for business combinations			(45,200,000)
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment			3,300,000		4,300,000
Other	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Cash provided by financing activities	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents					0	[1]
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	25,500,000	[1]	6,400,000	[1]	(15,100,000)	[1]
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year	48,000,000	[1]	41,600,000	[1]	56,700,000	[1]
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	73,500,000	[1]	48,000,000	[1]	41,600,000	[1]
100% Owned Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	49,200,000	[2]	(100,000)	[2]	(40,100,000)	[2]
Capital expenditures	(500,000)	[2]	(200,000)	[2]	0	[2]
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses					35,500,000
Other Operating Activites					(100,000)
Equity method investment, inclusive of capitalized interest	(24,100,000)		(98,400,000)
Purchase of held-to-maturity debt securities	(15,600,000)
Escrow refund (deposit)	0				0
Other Investing Activites	(1,200,000)
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(41,400,000)	[2]	(98,200,000)	[2]	45,900,000	[2]
Proceeds from Credit Facility	0		0		0
Repayments under Credit Facility	0		0		0
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt	0				0
Repayments of Long-term Debt	0				0
Purchase of treasury shares	0
Debt Issuance Cost and other financing costs					0
Payment for business combinations			0
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment			400,000		10,500,000
Other	0	[2]	36,500,000	[2]	0	[2]
Cash provided by financing activities	0	[2]	36,500,000	[2]	0	[2]
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents					(400,000)	[2]
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	7,800,000	[2]	(61,800,000)	[2]	5,400,000	[2]
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year	15,000,000	[2]	76,800,000	[2]	71,400,000	[2]
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	22,800,000	[2]	15,000,000	[2]	76,800,000	[2]
Consolidated Entities [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements
Repayments under Credit Facility	0
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt	0
Repayments of Long-term Debt	0
Purchase of treasury shares	0
Consolidating and Eliminating Entries
Condensed Financial Statements
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	0		36,500,000		0
Capital expenditures	0		0		0
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses					0
Other Operating Activites					0
Equity method investment, inclusive of capitalized interest	0		0
Purchase of held-to-maturity debt securities	0
Escrow refund (deposit)	0				0
Other Investing Activites	0
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0		0		0
Proceeds from Credit Facility	0		0		0
Repayments under Credit Facility			0		0
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt					0
Repayments of Long-term Debt					0
Debt Issuance Cost and other financing costs					0
Payment for business combinations			0
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment			0		0
Other	0		(36,500,000)		0
Cash provided by financing activities	0		(36,500,000)		0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents					0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year	0		0		0
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	0		0		0
PNK Development 11
Condensed Financial Statements
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	3,900,000
Non Material Subsidiary
Condensed Financial Statements
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	$ 4,400,000

[1] The following material subsidiaries are identified as guarantors of our senior and senior subordinated notes: ACE Gaming, LLC; AREP BoardwalkProperties LLC; Belterra Resort Indiana, LLC; Boomtown, LLC; Casino Magic, LLC; Casino One Corporation; Louisiana-I Gaming; Mitre Associates LLC; PNK (Baton Rouge) Partnership; PNK (Biloxi), LLC; PNK (BOSSIER CITY), Inc.; PNK Development 7, LLC; PNK Development 8, LLC; PNK Development 9, LLC; PNK Development 13, LLC; PNK (ES), LLC; PNK (LAKE CHARLES), L.L.C.; PNK (Ohio), LLC; PNK (Ohio) II, LLC; PNK (Ohio) III, LLC; PNK (RENO), LLC; PNK (River City), LLC; PNK (SAM), LLC; PNK (SAZ), LLC; PNK (STLH), LLC; PNK (ST. LOUIS RE), LLC; and PSW Properties LLC. In addition, certain other immaterial subsidiaries are also guarantors of our senior and senior subordinated notes.

[2] Guarantor subsidiaries of our senior and senior subordinated notes exclude; a subsidiary that owns a minority interest in ACDL; a subsidiary with $3.9 million in cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, 2012; a subsidiary with approximately $4.4 million in total assets as of December 31, 2012; a subsidiary with $25.2 million in total assets as of December 31, 2012; a subsidiary with $4.3 million in total assets as of December 31, 2012; and certain non-material subsidiaries.