Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Income Statements) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 615,222	$ 574,403	$ 1,248,305	$ 1,139,349
Costs and Expenses
Operating	343,234	314,102	686,463	627,339
Selling, general and administrative	110,454	96,783	220,171	192,571
Maintenance and utilities	39,570	36,773	78,333	74,188
Depreciation and amortization	50,702	48,488	100,716	99,072
Corporate expense	13,009	12,264	25,880	25,544
Preopening expenses	2,210	1,741	3,870	3,572
Other operating charges, net	(2,196)	2,262	(1,949)	6,969
Total operating costs and expenses	556,983	512,413	1,113,484	1,029,255
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Operating income	58,239	61,990	134,821	110,094
Other expense (income):
Interest expense	64,380	66,674	128,204	123,960
Fair value adjustment of derivative instruments	0	48	0	265
Gain on early retirements of debt	0	0	0	20
Total other expense, net	64,380	66,722	128,204	124,245
Income (loss) before income taxes	(6,141)	(4,732)	6,617	(14,151)
Income taxes	5,450	(911)	(833)	2,197
Net income (loss)	(691)	(5,643)	5,784	(11,954)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,668	2,692	1,045	5,482
Net income (loss) attributable to Boyd Gaming Corporation	977	(2,951)	6,829	(6,472)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(664)	(3,830)	8,251	(5,168)
Parent
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	35,317	38,350	72,774	76,700
Costs and Expenses
Operating	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	0	0	0	0
Maintenance and utilities	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	2,097	2,004	4,227	4,028
Corporate expense	19,114	22,511	44,298	48,685
Preopening expenses	261	240	385	495
Other operating charges, net	6,243	397	6,272	369
Total operating costs and expenses	27,715	25,152	55,182	53,577
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	16,649	15,397	43,114	30,180
Operating income	24,251	28,595	60,706	53,303
Other expense (income):
Interest expense	41,330	39,847	81,118	79,570
Fair value adjustment of derivative instruments		48		265
Gain on early retirements of debt		0		20
Total other expense, net	41,330	39,895	81,118	79,855
Income (loss) before income taxes	(17,079)	(11,300)	(20,412)	(26,552)
Income taxes	18,056	8,349	27,241	20,080
Net income (loss)	977	(2,951)	6,829	(6,472)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Boyd Gaming Corporation	977	(2,951)	6,829	(6,472)
Comprehensive income (loss)	0	935	0	1,122
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	425,858	377,443	867,922	758,920
Costs and Expenses
Operating	233,531	203,551	470,979	411,161
Selling, general and administrative	72,527	62,073	146,606	124,750
Maintenance and utilities	24,592	20,316	48,540	40,484
Depreciation and amortization	31,901	29,204	63,962	58,101
Corporate expense	77	11,611	154	0
Preopening expenses	4,216	(3,007)	8,344	(699)
Other operating charges, net	(6,279)	1,116	(6,033)	835
Total operating costs and expenses	360,565	324,864	732,552	634,632
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	3,383	(2,842)	9,142	(5,265)
Operating income	68,676	49,737	144,512	119,023
Other expense (income):
Interest expense	161	198	322	344
Fair value adjustment of derivative instruments		0		0
Gain on early retirements of debt		0		0
Total other expense, net	161	198	322	344
Income (loss) before income taxes	68,515	49,539	144,190	118,679
Income taxes	(14,801)	(10,691)	(31,558)	(21,595)
Net income (loss)	53,714	38,848	112,632	97,084
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Boyd Gaming Corporation	53,714	38,848	112,632	97,084
Comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (100% Owned)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	13,948	14,204	28,817	28,583
Costs and Expenses
Operating	14,436	14,537	29,795	29,053
Selling, general and administrative	2,931	2,011	6,026	4,275
Maintenance and utilities	555	1,038	1,063	1,937
Depreciation and amortization	690	732	1,383	1,529
Corporate expense	264	653	542	1,333
Preopening expenses	349	4,416	349	9,094
Other operating charges, net	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	19,225	23,387	39,158	47,221
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Operating income	(5,277)	(9,183)	(10,341)	(18,638)
Other expense (income):
Interest expense	(409)	(6)	(409)	0
Fair value adjustment of derivative instruments		0		0
Gain on early retirements of debt		0		0
Total other expense, net	(409)	(6)	(409)	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(4,868)	(9,177)	(9,932)	(18,638)
Income taxes	1,791	1,611	3,657	3,221
Net income (loss)	(3,077)	(7,566)	(6,275)	(15,417)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Boyd Gaming Corporation	(3,077)	(7,566)	(6,275)	(15,417)
Comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Not 100% Owned)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	175,415	185,525	351,566	357,256
Costs and Expenses
Operating	95,267	96,014	185,689	187,125
Selling, general and administrative	34,996	32,699	67,539	63,546
Maintenance and utilities	14,423	15,419	28,730	31,767
Depreciation and amortization	16,014	16,548	31,144	35,414
Corporate expense	0	0	0	0
Preopening expenses	(2,616)	92	(5,208)	92
Other operating charges, net	(2,160)	749	(2,188)	5,765
Total operating costs and expenses	155,924	161,521	305,706	323,709
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Operating income	19,491	24,004	45,860	33,547
Other expense (income):
Interest expense	23,298	26,635	47,173	44,046
Fair value adjustment of derivative instruments		0		0
Gain on early retirements of debt		0		0
Total other expense, net	23,298	26,635	47,173	44,046
Income (loss) before income taxes	(3,807)	(2,631)	(1,313)	(10,499)
Income taxes	404	(180)	(173)	491
Net income (loss)	(3,403)	(2,811)	(1,486)	(10,008)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Boyd Gaming Corporation	(3,403)	(2,811)	(1,486)	(10,008)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(664)	(4,765)	8,251	(6,290)
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	(35,316)	(41,119)	(72,774)	(82,110)
Costs and Expenses
Operating	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	0	0	0	0
Maintenance and utilities	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Corporate expense	(6,446)	(22,511)	(19,114)	(24,474)
Preopening expenses	0	0	0	(5,410)
Other operating charges, net	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	(6,446)	(22,511)	(19,114)	(29,884)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(20,032)	(12,555)	(52,256)	(24,915)
Operating income	(48,902)	(31,163)	(105,916)	(77,141)
Other expense (income):
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Fair value adjustment of derivative instruments		0		0
Gain on early retirements of debt		0		0
Total other expense, net	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(48,902)	(31,163)	(105,916)	(77,141)
Income taxes	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(48,902)	(31,163)	(105,916)	(77,141)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,668	2,692	1,045	5,482
Net income (loss) attributable to Boyd Gaming Corporation	(47,234)	(28,471)	(104,871)	(71,659)
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0