Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	MGM Growth Properties LLC [Member] Class A Shareholders [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] MGM Growth Properties LLC [Member] Class A Shareholders [Member]	Capital in Excess of Par Value [Member]	Capital in Excess of Par Value [Member] MGM Growth Properties LLC [Member] Class A Shareholders [Member]	Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) [Member]	Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) [Member] MGM Growth Properties LLC [Member] Class A Shareholders [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] MGM Growth Properties LLC [Member] Class A Shareholders [Member]	Total MGM Resorts International Stockholder's Equity [Member]	Total MGM Resorts International Stockholder's Equity [Member] MGM Growth Properties LLC [Member] Class A Shareholders [Member]	Non-Controlling Interests [Member]	Non-Controlling Interests [Member] MGM Growth Properties LLC [Member] Class A Shareholders [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 9,941,957		$ 5,741		$ 5,653,575		$ 518,456		$ 15,053		$ 6,192,825		$ 3,749,132
Beginning Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2016			574,124
Net income	250,454		$ 0		0		206,412		0		206,412		44,042
Currency translation adjustment	(12,933)		0		0		0		(7,352)		(7,352)		(5,581)
Unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	(634)		0		0		0		(484)		(484)		(150)
Stock-based compensation	15,966		0		14,946		0		0		14,946		1,020
Issuance of common stock pursuant to stock-based compensation awards	(4,074)		$ 4		(4,078)		0		0		(4,074)		0
Issuance of common stock pursuant to stock-based compensation awards, Shares			342
Cash distributions and dividend payable to noncontrolling interest owners	(2,044)	$ (22,281)	$ 0	$ 0	0	$ 0	0	$ 0	0	$ 0	0	$ 0	(2,044)	$ (22,281)
Dividends paid to common shareholders	(63,182)		0		0		(63,182)		0		(63,182)		0
Issuance of performance share units	9,743		0		9,648		0		0		9,648		95
Other	(45)		0		(34)		0		0		(34)		(11)
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2017	10,112,927		$ 5,745		5,674,057		661,686		7,217		6,348,705		3,764,222
Ending Balance, Shares at Mar. 31, 2017			574,466
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	9,941,957		$ 5,741		5,653,575		518,456		15,053		6,192,825		3,749,132
Beginning Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2016			574,124
Currency translation adjustment	(41,313)
Unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	(2,641)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2017	10,295,451		$ 5,655		5,390,071		893,368		(9,840)		6,279,254		4,016,197
Ending Balance, Shares at Sep. 30, 2017			565,494
Beginning Balance at Mar. 31, 2017	10,112,927		$ 5,745		5,674,057		661,686		7,217		6,348,705		3,764,222
Beginning Balance, Shares at Mar. 31, 2017			574,466
Net income	239,310		$ 0		0		209,864		0		209,864		29,446
Currency translation adjustment	(25,376)		0		0		0		(14,018)		(14,018)		(11,358)
Unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	(3,323)		0		0		0		(2,347)		(2,347)		(976)
Stock-based compensation	15,013		0		13,787		0		0		13,787		1,226
Issuance of common stock pursuant to stock-based compensation awards	(7,625)		$ 5		(7,630)		0		0		(7,625)		0
Issuance of common stock pursuant to stock-based compensation awards, Shares			543
Cash distributions and dividend payable to noncontrolling interest owners	(42,822)	(22,777)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(42,822)	(22,777)
Dividends paid to common shareholders	(63,247)		0		0		(63,247)		0		(63,247)		0
Other	380		0		(2,248)		0		0		(2,248)		2,628
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2017	10,202,460		$ 5,750		5,677,966		808,303		(9,148)		6,482,871		3,719,589
Ending Balance, Shares at Jun. 30, 2017			575,009
Net income	173,776		$ 0		0		148,363		0		148,363		25,413
Currency translation adjustment	(3,004)		0		0		0		(1,635)		(1,635)		(1,369)
Unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	1,316		0		0		0		834		834		482
Stock-based compensation	15,347		0		13,981		0		0		13,981		1,366
Issuance of common stock pursuant to stock-based compensation awards	(8,653)		$ 5		(8,658)		0		0		(8,653)		0
Issuance of common stock pursuant to stock-based compensation awards, Shares			485
Cash distributions and dividend payable to noncontrolling interest owners	(27,029)	(28,004)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(27,029)	(28,004)
Dividends paid to common shareholders	(63,298)		0		0		(63,298)		0		(63,298)		0
Repurchase of common stock	(327,500)		$ (100)		(327,400)		0		0		(327,500)		0
Repurchase of common stock, Shares			(10,000)
Share issuance		361,622		0		35,029		0		109		35,138		326,484
Other	(1,582)		$ 0		(847)		0		0		(847)		(735)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2017	10,295,451		$ 5,655		5,390,071		893,368		(9,840)		6,279,254		4,016,197
Ending Balance, Shares at Sep. 30, 2017			565,494
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	11,611,124		$ 5,663		5,357,709		2,217,299		(3,610)		7,577,061		4,034,063
Beginning Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2017			566,276
Net income	264,184		$ 0		0		223,444		0		223,444		40,740
Currency translation adjustment	(24,152)		0		0		0		(13,368)		(13,368)		(10,784)
Unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	13,856		0		0		0		9,498		9,498		4,358
Stock-based compensation	16,117		0		14,742		0		0		14,742		1,375
Issuance of common stock pursuant to stock-based compensation awards	(8,295)		$ 5		(8,300)		0		0		(8,295)		0
Issuance of common stock pursuant to stock-based compensation awards, Shares			493
Cash distributions and dividend payable to noncontrolling interest owners	(9,791)	(29,777)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(9,791)	(29,777)
Dividends paid to common shareholders	(67,999)		0		0		(67,999)		0		(67,999)		0
Issuance of performance share units	3,716		0		3,609		0		0		3,609		107
Repurchase of common stock	(362,400)		$ (100)		(362,300)		0		0		(362,400)		0
Repurchase of common stock, Shares			(10,000)
Adjustment of redeemable non-controlling interest to redemption value	(4,598)		$ 0		(4,598)		0		0		(4,598)		0
Other	(1,614)		0		(904)		0		0		(904)		(710)
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2018	11,400,371		$ 5,568		4,999,958		2,372,744		(7,480)		7,370,790		4,029,581
Ending Balance, Shares at Mar. 31, 2018			556,769
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	11,611,124		$ 5,663		5,357,709		2,217,299		(3,610)		7,577,061		4,034,063
Beginning Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2017			566,276
Currency translation adjustment	(10,542)
Unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	23,219
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2018	10,746,179		$ 5,319		4,251,702		2,510,103		6,234		6,773,358		3,972,821
Ending Balance, Shares at Sep. 30, 2018			531,937
Beginning Balance at Mar. 31, 2018	11,400,371		$ 5,568		4,999,958		2,372,744		(7,480)		7,370,790		4,029,581
Beginning Balance, Shares at Mar. 31, 2018			556,769
Net income	138,121		$ 0		0		123,777		0		123,777		14,344
Currency translation adjustment	1,400		0		0		0		583		583		817
Unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	5,335		0		0		0		3,660		3,660		1,675
Stock-based compensation	17,807		0		16,430		0		0		16,430		1,377
Issuance of common stock pursuant to stock-based compensation awards	(1,095)		$ 1		(1,096)		0		0		(1,095)		0
Issuance of common stock pursuant to stock-based compensation awards, Shares			102
Cash distributions and dividend payable to noncontrolling interest owners	(24,287)	(30,492)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(24,287)	(30,492)
Dividends paid to common shareholders	(65,335)		0		0		(65,335)		0		(65,335)		0
Repurchase of common stock	(594,864)		$ (190)		(594,674)		0		0		(594,864)		0
Repurchase of common stock, Shares			(19,004)
Adjustment of redeemable non-controlling interest to redemption value	(5,986)		$ 0		(5,986)		0		0		(5,986)		0
Other	(1,034)		0		(818)		0		0		(818)		(216)
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2018	10,839,941		$ 5,379		4,413,814		2,431,186		(3,237)		6,847,142		3,992,799
Ending Balance, Shares at Jun. 30, 2018			537,867
Net income	169,194		$ 0		0		142,878		0		142,878		26,316
Currency translation adjustment	12,210		0		0		0		6,706		6,706		5,504
Unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	4,028		0		0		0		2,765		2,765		1,263
Stock-based compensation	17,106		0		15,916		0		0		15,916		1,190
Issuance of common stock pursuant to stock-based compensation awards	(2,202)		$ 1		(2,203)		0		0		(2,202)		0
Issuance of common stock pursuant to stock-based compensation awards, Shares			173
Cash distributions and dividend payable to noncontrolling interest owners	(17,618)	$ (31,024)	$ 0	$ 0	0	$ 0	0	$ 0	0	$ 0	0	$ 0	(17,618)	$ (31,024)
Dividends paid to common shareholders	(63,961)		0		0		(63,961)		0		(63,961)		0
Repurchase of common stock	(176,070)		$ (61)		(176,009)		0		0		(176,070)		0
Repurchase of common stock, Shares			(6,103)
Adjustment of redeemable non-controlling interest to redemption value	(4,155)		$ 0		(4,155)		0		0		(4,155)		0
Other	(1,270)		0		4,339		0		0		4,339		(5,609)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2018	$ 10,746,179		$ 5,319		$ 4,251,702		$ 2,510,103		$ 6,234		$ 6,773,358		$ 3,972,821
Ending Balance, Shares at Sep. 30, 2018			531,937