CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
REVENUES:
Property	$ 5,713,126	$ 4,680,388	$ 4,006,854
Services	72,542	91,128	93,194
Total operating revenues	5,785,668	4,771,516	4,100,048
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Property (including stock-based compensation expense of $1,750, $1,614 and $1,397, respectively)	1,762,694	1,275,436	1,056,177
Services (including stock-based compensation expense of $688, $439 and $440, respectively)	27,695	33,432	38,088
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	1,525,635	1,285,328	1,003,802
Selling, general, administrative and development expense (including stock-based compensation expense of $87,460, $88,484 and $78,316, respectively)	543,395	497,835	446,542
Other operating expenses	73,220	66,696	68,517
Total operating expenses	3,932,639	3,158,727	2,613,126
OPERATING INCOME	1,853,029	1,612,789	1,486,922
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Gain (loss) on retirement of long-term obligations	1,168	(79,606)	(3,473)
Other expense (including unrealized foreign currency losses of $23,439, $71,473 and $49,319, respectively)	(47,790)	(134,960)	(62,060)
Total other expense	(727,169)	(782,827)	(621,218)
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	1,125,860	829,962	865,704
Income tax provision	(155,501)	(157,955)	(62,505)
NET INCOME	970,359	672,007	803,199
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(13,934)	13,067	21,711
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO AMERICAN TOWER CORPORATION STOCKHOLDERS	956,425	685,074	824,910
Dividends on preferred stock	(107,125)	(90,163)	(23,888)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO AMERICAN TOWER CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	$ 849,300	$ 594,911	$ 801,022
NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE AMOUNTS:
Basic net income attributable to American Tower Corporation common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 2.00	$ 1.42	$ 2.02
Diluted net income attributable to American Tower Corporation common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.98	$ 1.41	$ 2.00
WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING:
BASIC (in shares)	425,143	419	395,958
DILUTED (in shares)	429,283	423	400,086
TV Azteca
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest income, TV Azteca, net of interest expense of $1,163, $820 and $1,482, respectively	$ 10,960	$ 11,209	$ 10,547
Interest expense	(1,163)	(820)	(1,482)
Excluding TV Azteca
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest income	25,618	16,479	14,002
Interest expense	$ (717,125)	$ (595,949)	$ (580,234)