Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment information
Income (loss) from operations	$ (56,646)	$ 105,853	$ 105,467	$ 102,514	$ (674,670)	$ 87,245	$ 37,421	$ 126,136	$ 257,188	$ (423,868)	$ 397,456
Charge for stock compensation									10,666	22,809	28,609
Impairment losses									159,884	798,305
Insurance (recoveries) deductible charges, net									(5,674)	108	(7,229)
Depreciation and amortization									266,742	303,404	233,407
Plainridge contingent purchase price									689
(Gain) loss on disposal of assets									738	3,682	(1,546)
Income (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates									7,949	9,657	3,804
Non-operating items									410,491	202,509	72,429
Adjusted EBITDA from discontinued operations										35,374	57,614
Adjusted EBITDA									709,991	761,066	722,006
Net revenues	651,361	$ 645,940	$ 652,146	$ 641,080	632,188	$ 674,802	$ 715,299	$ 755,597	2,590,527	2,777,886	2,688,822
Capital expenditures									228,145	196,600	467,795
Total assets	4,664,894				4,467,587				4,664,894	4,467,587
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	179,551				193,331				179,551	193,331
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	1,293,637				1,186,211				1,293,637	1,186,211
Kansas
Segment information
Non-operating items									11,809	11,595	9,891
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	115,500				127,800				115,500	127,800
East/Midwest
Segment information
Income (loss) from operations									332,869	(57,351)	374,485
Impairment losses									4,560	416,380
Depreciation and amortization									101,891	142,442	128,188
Plainridge contingent purchase price									689
(Gain) loss on disposal of assets									(75)	774	(1,617)
Adjusted EBITDA from discontinued operations										15,334	16,890
Adjusted EBITDA									439,934	517,579	517,946
Net revenues									1,467,380	1,575,053	1,596,241
Capital expenditures									144,320	105,354	404,713
Total assets	1,007,162				604,979				1,007,162	604,979
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	94				79				94	79
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	427,335				133,646				427,335	133,646
West
Segment information
Income (loss) from operations									56,928	45,464	47,050
Impairment losses									1,420	1,812
Depreciation and amortization									7,411	11,883	12,850
(Gain) loss on disposal of assets									211	2,365	(42)
Adjusted EBITDA									65,970	61,524	59,858
Net revenues									241,410	240,083	252,182
Capital expenditures									28,251	9,802	11,294
Total assets	287,551				210,254				287,551	210,254
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	143,242				144,200				143,242	144,200
Southern Plains
Segment information
Income (loss) from operations									46,395	(186,846)	165,039
Impairment losses									153,904	341,683
Insurance (recoveries) deductible charges, net									(5,674)	108	(7,229)
Depreciation and amortization									58,598	108,201	75,657
(Gain) loss on disposal of assets									624	853	115
Income (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates									10,720	10,735	5,210
Adjusted EBITDA from discontinued operations										20,040	40,724
Adjusted EBITDA									276,376	306,369	289,407
Net revenues									857,447	930,762	807,265
Capital expenditures									49,607	76,319	46,210
Total assets	1,076,290				1,265,281				1,076,290	1,265,281
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	115,469				127,749				115,469	127,749
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	718,982				888,805				718,982	888,805
Southern Plains | Kansas
Segment information
Non-operating items									11,809	11,595	9,891
Other
Segment information
Income (loss) from operations									(179,004)	(225,135)	(189,118)
Charge for stock compensation									10,666	22,809	28,609
Impairment losses										38,430
Depreciation and amortization									98,842	40,878	16,712
(Gain) loss on disposal of assets									(22)	(310)	(2)
Income (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates									(2,771)	(1,078)	(1,406)
Adjusted EBITDA									(72,289)	(124,406)	(145,205)
Net revenues									24,290	31,988	33,134
Capital expenditures									5,967	5,125	$ 5,578
Total assets	2,293,891				2,387,073				2,293,891	2,387,073
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	63,988				65,503				63,988	65,503
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	$ 4,078				$ 19,560				$ 4,078	$ 19,560