Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of Debt	$ 26,400
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	33,400
Line of Credit Facility, Increase (Decrease), Net	120,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(28,804)	$ (32,984)
Total debt	3,369,130	3,286,590
Less: Current maturities of long-term debt	(76,314)	(89,974)
Total long-term debt	3,292,816	3,196,616
March 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term Loan	647,500	673,750
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	470,000
Bank Credit Facility	470,000	350,000
Unsecured Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized pricing discounts and other	7,673	8,313
Unsecured Debt \| October 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	250,000	250,000
Unsecured Debt \| November 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	200,000	200,000
Unsecured Debt \| November 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	150,000	150,000
Unsecured Debt \| January 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	425,000	425,000
Unsecured Debt \| May 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	850,000	850,000
Unsecured Debt \| April 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	200,000	200,000
Capital Lease Obligations
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Obligations under capital leases	191,627	208,758
Mortgages [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage notes and other debt	$ 6,134	$ 3,753

Amount equal to the present value (the principal) at the beginning of the lease term of minimum lease payments during the lease term (excluding that portion of the payments representing executory costs such as insurance, maintenance, and taxes to be paid by the lessor, together with any profit thereon) net of payments or other amounts applied to the principal through the balance sheet date.

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Amount, after accumulated amortization, of debt discount (premium).

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The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

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The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

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Amount of increase (decrease) of the credit facility.

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Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

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Amount of long-term debt and capital leases due within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

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Amount after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs of long-term debt classified as noncurrent and excluding amounts to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

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Including the current and noncurrent portions, the carrying value as of the balance sheet date of notes payable to banks, excluding mortgage notes, initially due beyond one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer.

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The cash outflow during the period from the repayment of aggregate short-term and long-term debt. Excludes payment of capital lease obligations.

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Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of Notes with the highest claim on the assets of the issuer in case of bankruptcy or liquidation (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer). Senior note holders are paid off in full before any payments are made to junior note holders.

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The remaining balance of debt issuance expenses that were capitalized and are being amortized against income over the lives of the respective bond issues. This does not include the amounts capitalized as part of the cost of the utility plant or asset.

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