Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes

Income (loss) before income taxes by geographic area is as follows:



	Years Ended December 31,
	2011		2010			2009
Domestic	$	168,804	$	(342,333	)	$	(193,055	)
Foreign (a)	11,003		4,228			2,532
	$	179,807	$	(338,105	)	$	(190,523	)

____________________


(a)	Inclusive of income (loss) before income taxes from Australia and Puerto Rico.

Benefit (Provision) for Income Taxes

The benefit (provision) for income taxes consists of the following:



	Years Ended December 31,
	2011			2010			2009
Current:
Federal	$	3,213		$	4,038		$	5,803
Foreign	(3,377		)	(2,187		)	(1,904		)
State	(3,557		)	(1,201		)	(1,909		)
Total current	(3,721		)	650			1,990
Deferred:
Federal	1,054			30,770			56,152
Foreign	(694		)	(298		)	—
State	(4,986		)	(4,276		)	18,258
Total deferred	(4,626		)	26,196			74,410
Total tax benefit (provision)	$	(8,347	)	$	26,846		$	76,400

Effective Tax Rate

A reconciliation between the benefit (provision) for income taxes and the amount computed by applying the federal statutory income tax rate to the loss before income taxes is as follows:



	Years Ended December 31,
	2011			2010			2009
Benefit (provision) for income taxes at statutory rate	$	(62,932	)	$	118,337		$	66,683
Tax effect of foreign income (losses)	3,851			1,480			886
Expenses for which no federal tax benefit was recognized	(5,433		)	(3,657		)	(803		)
Valuation allowances	61,921			(85,605		)	—
State tax (provision) benefit, net of federal	(4,565		)	(3,560		)	10,627
Foreign tax	(4,071		)	(2,485		)	(1,904		)
Change in unrecognized tax benefits	1,693			—			—
Other	1,189			2,336			911
	$	(8,347	)	$	26,846		$	76,400

Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities

The components of the net deferred income tax assets and liabilities are as follows:



	December 31,
	2011			2010
Deferred income tax liabilities:
Property and equipment	$	511,205		$	486,577
Deferred site rental receivable	238,203			164,867
Intangible assets	655,512			689,597
Total deferred income tax liabilities	1,404,920			1,341,041
Deferred income tax assets:
Net operating loss carryforwards	908,747			926,444
Deferred ground lease payable	109,948			104,324
Alternate minimum tax credit carryforward	3,591			3,591
Accrued liabilities	81,719			78,752
Receivables allowance	2,253			2,175
Prepaid lease	405,993			430,558
Derivative instruments	74,214			75,960
Available-for-sale securities	29,402			25,289
Other	5,293			4,415
Valuation allowances	(228,417		)	(318,055		)
Total deferred income tax assets, net	1,392,743			1,333,453
Net deferred income tax asset (liabilities)	$	(12,177	)	$	(7,588	)

Jurisdictional Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities

The components of the net deferred income tax assets (liabilities) are as follows:



	December 31, 2011								December 31, 2010
Classification	Gross		Valuation Allowance			Net			Gross		Valuation Allowance			Net
Federal	$	33,103	$	(55,980	)	$	(22,877	)	$	93,970	$	(117,901	)	$	(23,931	)
State	45,813		(34,156		)	11,657			51,799		(35,155		)	16,644
Foreign	63,110		(64,067		)	(957		)	68,365		(68,666		)	(301		)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	74,214		(74,214		)	—			96,333		(96,333		)	—
Total	$	216,240	$	(228,417	)	$	(12,177	)	$	310,467	$	(318,055	)	$	(7,588	)

Schedule of Unrecognized Tax Benefits Roll Forward

The aggregate changes in the balance of unrecognized tax benefits are as follows:



	Years Ended December 31,
	2011			2010
Balance at beginning of year	$	9,255		$	3,213
Additions based on current year tax positions	2,334			6,042
Reductions as a result of the lapse of statute limitations	(3,213		)	—
Balance at end of year	$	8,376		$	9,255