Property and Equipment

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment consist of the following at fiscal year end:

	Useful Life	2018			2017
	(Years)	(In thousands)
Land	—	$	131,377		$	129,421
Buildings and improvements	2 to 50	2,144,414			2,009,279
Leasehold improvements	1 to 29	303,348			288,614
Equipment	3 to 10	206,191			193,281
Furniture, fixtures and computer software	1 to 7	60,159			57,204
Facility construction in progress	—	65,282			74,312
Total		$	2,910,771		$	2,752,111
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization		(752,161		)	(673,988		)
Property and equipment, net		$	2,158,610		$	2,078,123

The Company amortizes its leasehold improvements over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the terms of the leases including renewal periods that are reasonably assured. The Company’s construction in progress primarily consists of new construction and renovations to facilities that are owned by the Company. Interest capitalized in property and equipment for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 was $3.7 million and $1.1 million, respectively.

Depreciation expense was $103.5 million, $98.9 million and $92.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

At both December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company had $17.1 million of assets recorded under capital leases related to land, buildings and improvements. Capital leases are recorded net of accumulated amortization of $13.2 million and $12.2 million, at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Depreciation expense related to assets recorded under capital leases for each of the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 was $1.0 million and is included in Depreciation and Amortization in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.