Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

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Fair value portion of debt instrument payable, including, but not limited to, notes payable and loans payable.

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

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Debt (Schedule of Principal Values, Fair Values, and Carrying Values of Debt) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands							3 Months Ended
	Mar. 09, 2018	Apr. 17, 2017	Jul. 07, 2016	Oct. 14, 2015	Oct. 15, 2014	Apr. 18, 2013	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal Balance							$ 9,807,000	$ 10,028,000
Fair Value							9,781,083	9,736,246
Carrying Value							9,723,048	9,938,553
Less: current maturities of long-term debt							(942,442)	(941,728)
Total long-term debt, net of current maturities							$ 8,780,606	8,996,825
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, maturity date							Apr. 11, 2023
Principal Balance							$ 110,000	325,000
Fair Value							110,000	325,000
Carrying Value							$ 110,000	325,000
2014 Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, maturity date							Jul. 15, 2022
Principal Balance							$ 750,000	750,000
Fair Value							761,250	735,000
Carrying Value							$ 741,839	741,273
2016 Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, maturity date							Sep. 01, 2024
Principal Balance							$ 1,100,000	1,100,000
Fair Value							1,108,250	1,034,000
Carrying Value							$ 1,084,315	1,083,689
2017 Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, maturity date							Oct. 01, 2022
Principal Balance							$ 750,000	750,000
Fair Value							751,875	712,500
Carrying Value							$ 743,525	743,099
2013-2C Tower Securities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, maturity date						Apr. 09, 2048	Apr. 11, 2023
Principal Balance							$ 575,000	575,000
Fair Value							572,591	569,164
Carrying Value							$ 569,999	569,715
2014-1C Tower Securities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, maturity date					Oct. 11, 2044		Oct. 08, 2019
Principal Balance							$ 920,000	920,000
Fair Value							916,348	914,241
Carrying Value							$ 918,442	917,728
2014-2C Tower Securities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, maturity date					Oct. 08, 2049		Oct. 08, 2024
Principal Balance							$ 620,000	620,000
Fair Value							630,112	609,665
Carrying Value							$ 614,534	614,315
2015-1C Tower Securities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, maturity date				Oct. 10, 2045			Oct. 08, 2020
Principal Balance							$ 500,000	500,000
Fair Value							498,850	496,640
Carrying Value							$ 496,317	495,737
2016-1C Tower Securities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, maturity date			Jul. 10, 2046				Jul. 09, 2021
Principal Balance							$ 700,000	700,000
Fair Value							693,714	691,432
Carrying Value							$ 695,474	694,994
2017-1C Tower Securities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, maturity date		Apr. 09, 2047					Apr. 11, 2022
Principal Balance							$ 760,000	760,000
Fair Value							752,856	744,496
Carrying Value							$ 753,529	753,028
2018-1C Tower Securities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, maturity date	Mar. 09, 2048						Mar. 09, 2023
Principal Balance							$ 640,000	640,000
Fair Value							644,922	641,478
Carrying Value							$ 633,118	632,725
2018 Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, maturity date							Apr. 11, 2025
Principal Balance							$ 2,382,000	2,388,000
Fair Value							2,340,315	2,262,630
Carrying Value							$ 2,361,956	$ 2,367,250