CC Holdings GS V 10-Q 4 Nov 19 2019 Q3 Quarterly report Financial data

Document and Entity Information

Document and Entity Information	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019shares
Document and Entity Information
Document Type	10-Q
Document Quarterly Report	true
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2019
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	333-187970
Entity Registrant Name	CC HOLDINGS GS V LLC
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	20-4300339
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	0
Entity Address, Address Line One	1220 Augusta Drive
Entity Address, Address Line Two	Suite 600
Entity Address, City or Town	Houston
Entity Address, State or Province	TX
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	77057-2261
City Area Code	713
Local Phone Number	570-3000
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Central Index Key	0001574291
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Amendment Flag	false

Condensed Consolidated Balance

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 18,486	$ 18,707
Receivables, net		2,348	4,327
Prepaid expenses	[1]	14,883	23,155
Deferred site rental receivables and other current assets		28,413	27,014
Total current assets		64,130	73,203
Deferred site rental receivables		352,984	343,740
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $1,081,133 and $1,011,900, respectively		1,015,632	1,017,767
Operating lease, right-of-use assets	[1]	1,135,264	0
Goodwill		1,338,730	1,338,730
Other intangible assets, net	[1]	707,376	808,327
Long-term prepaid rent and other assets, net	[1]	1,878	39,669
Total assets		4,615,994	3,621,436
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable		2,164	1,933
Accrued interest		17,748	8,126
Deferred revenues		13,390	12,533
Other accrued liabilities	[1]	7,484	8,866
Current portion of operating lease liabilities—third parties	[1]	38,176	0
Current portion of operating lease liabilities—related parties	[1]	16,397	0
Total current liabilities		95,359	31,458
Debt		995,085	994,047
Operating lease liabilities—third parties	[1]	827,253	0
Operating lease liabilities—related parties	[1]	319,472	0
Deferred ground lease payable	[1]	0	112,832
Other liabilities	[1]	35,618	50,108
Total liabilities		2,272,787	1,188,445
Member's equity:
Member's equity		2,343,207	2,432,991
Accumulated earnings (deficit)		0	0
Total member's equity		2,343,207	2,432,991
Total liabilities and equity		$ 4,615,994	$ 3,621,436
[1]	See "Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements" in note 2 to the condensed consolidated financial statements for a discussion of the recently adopted lease standard.

Condensed Consolidated Statemen

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations Statement - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Income Statement [Abstract]
Site rental revenues		$ 171,745	$ 165,108	$ 507,256	$ 492,158
Operating expenses:
Site rental cost of operations—third parties(a)	[1]	38,406	37,616	114,212	112,469
Site rental cost of operations—related parties(a)	[1]	10,880	10,163	32,210	30,478
Site rental cost of operations—total(a)	[1]	49,286	47,779	146,422	142,947
Management fee—related party		12,611	12,207	37,238	36,227
Asset write-down charges		0	0	375	344
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		52,665	52,333	157,436	157,765
Total operating expenses		114,562	112,319	341,471	337,283
Operating income (loss)		57,183	52,789	165,785	154,875
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs		(9,969)	(9,969)	(29,906)	(29,906)
Other income (expense)		160	90	445	63
Income (loss) before income taxes		47,374	42,910	136,324	125,032
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		(102)	(93)	(307)	(279)
Net income (loss)		$ 47,272	$ 42,817	$ 136,017	$ 124,753
[1]	Exclusive of depreciation, amortization and accretion shown separately and certain indirect costs included in the management fee.

Condensed Consolidated Balanc_2

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet Parenthetical (Parentheticals) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Accumulated Depreciation [Abstract]
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment	$ 1,081,133	$ 1,011,900

Condensed Consolidated Statem_2

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 136,017	$ 124,753
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	157,436	157,765
Amortization of deferred financing costs	1,038	1,038
Asset write-down charges	375	344
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Increase (decrease) in accrued interest	9,622	9,622
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable	(3,844)	500
Increase (decrease) in other liabilities	1,617	3,009
Decrease (increase) in receivables	1,978	(158)
Decrease (increase) in other assets	(14,256)	(12,505)
Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities	289,983	284,368
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(64,403)	(52,187)
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(64,403)	(52,187)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Distributions to member	(225,801)	(238,716)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(225,801)	(238,716)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(221)	(6,535)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	18,707	30,771
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 18,486	$ 24,236

Condensed Consolidated Statem_3

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Members' Equity [Member]	Accumulated Earnings (Deficit) [Member]
Balance, beginning at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 2,576,471	$ 2,576,471	$ 0
Equity [Roll Forward]
Distributions to member	(238,716)	(113,963)	(124,753)
Net income (loss)	124,753	0	124,753
Balance, ending at Sep. 30, 2018	2,462,508	2,462,508	0
Balance, beginning at Jun. 30, 2018	2,498,784	2,498,784	0
Equity [Roll Forward]
Distributions to member	(79,093)	(36,276)	(42,817)
Net income (loss)	42,817	0	42,817
Balance, ending at Sep. 30, 2018	2,462,508	2,462,508	0
Balance, beginning at Dec. 31, 2018	2,432,991	2,432,991	0
Equity [Roll Forward]
Distributions to member	(225,801)	(89,784)	(136,017)
Net income (loss)	136,017	0	136,017
Balance, ending at Sep. 30, 2019	2,343,207	2,343,207	0
Balance, beginning at Jun. 30, 2019	2,377,756	2,377,756	0
Equity [Roll Forward]
Distributions to member	(81,821)	(34,549)	(47,272)
Net income (loss)	47,272	0	47,272
Balance, ending at Sep. 30, 2019	$ 2,343,207	$ 2,343,207	$ 0

General

General	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
General	General The accompanying consolidated financial statements reflect the consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows of CC Holdings GS V LLC ("CCL") and its consolidated wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, "Company"). The Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Global Signal Operating Partnership, L.P. ("GSOP"), which is an indirect subsidiary of Crown Castle International Corp., a Delaware corporation ("CCIC" or "Crown Castle"). CCL is a Delaware limited liability company that is a holding company and an issuer of the Company's debt. Intercompany accounts, transactions and profits have been eliminated. As used herein, the term "including," and any variation thereof means "including without limitation." The use of the word "or" herein is not exclusive. The information contained in the following notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements is condensed from that which would appear in the annual consolidated financial statements; accordingly, the consolidated financial statements included herein should be reviewed in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 , and related notes thereto, included in the 2018 Form 10-K filed by the Company with the SEC. The Company is organized specifically to own, lease and manage towers and other structures (collectively, "towers"), and to a lesser extent, interests in land under third party and related party towers in various forms ("land interests") (collectively, "communications infrastructure" or "sites") that are geographically dispersed across the U.S. The Company's core business is providing access, including space or capacity, to its sites via long-term contracts in various forms, including lease, license and sublease agreements (collectively, "contracts"). The Company's customers on its communications infrastructure are referred to herein as "tenants." Management services related to the Company's sites are performed by Crown Castle USA Inc. ("CCUSA"), an affiliate of the Company, under the Management Agreement, as the Company has no employees. Approximately 68% of the Company's sites are leased or subleased or operated and managed for an initial period of 32 years (through May 2037) under master leases or other agreements with Sprint ("Sprint Sites"). CCIC, through its subsidiaries (including the Company) has the option to purchase in 2037 all (but not less than all) of the Sprint Sites from Sprint for approximately $ 2.3 billion . CCIC has no obligation to exercise the purchase option. For U.S federal income tax purposes, CCIC operates as a real estate investment trust ("REIT"), and as its indirect subsidiary, the Company's assets and operations are included in the CCIC REIT. See note 5 . Basis of Presentation The condensed consolidated financial statements included herein are unaudited; however, they include all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) which, in the opinion of management, are necessary to state fairly the consolidated financial position of the Company at September 30, 2019 , the condensed consolidated results of operations for both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 and the condensed consolidated cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 . The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. ("GAAP"). The results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Summary of Significant Accounti

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements Lease Accounting — Summary of Adoption Impact. Effective January 1, 2019, the Company adopted new guidance on the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases (commonly referred to as "ASC 842" or the "new lease standard"). The new lease standard requires lessees to recognize a lease liability, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments for all leases, and a corresponding right-of-use ("ROU") asset. The accounting for lessors remained largely unchanged from previous guidance. Due to the recognition of the lease liability and a corresponding ROU asset, the new lease standard had a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet. Additionally, certain amounts related to our lessee arrangements that were previously reported separately have been de-recognized and reclassified into "Operating lease right-of-use assets" on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet. These amounts include (1) the Company's liability related to straight-line expense formerly referred to as "Deferred ground lease payable" and previously included in "Other accrued liabilities" and "Other liabilities," (2) prepaid rent expense previously included in "Prepaid expenses" and "Long-term prepaid rent and other assets, net," (3) below market leases previously included in "Other intangible assets, net," and (4) above market leases previously included in "Other liabilities." Notwithstanding the material impact to the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet, the Company's adoption of the new lease standard did not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated statement of operations or statement of cash flows. Additionally, the adoption of this guidance had no impact on the Company's operating practices, cash flows, contractual arrangements, or debt agreements (including compliance with any applicable covenants). Lease Accounting — General. The Company adopted the new lease standard using a modified retrospective approach as of the effective date (i.e., January 1, 2019), without adjusting the comparative periods. The Company's adoption of the new lease standard did not result in a cumulative-effect adjustment being recognized to the opening balance of retained earnings. The new lease standard provides a package of practical expedients, whereby companies can elect not to reassess (1) whether existing contracts contain leases under the new definition of a lease, (2) lease classification for expired or existing leases and (3) whether previously capitalized initial direct costs would qualify for capitalization under ASC 842. The Company elected the package of practical expedients upon adoption. The Company evaluates whether a contract meets the definition of a lease whenever a contract grants a party with the right to control the use of an identified asset for a period of time in exchange for consideration. To the extent the identified asset is able to be shared among multiple parties, the Company has determined that one party does not have control of the identified asset and the contract is not considered a lease. Lease Accounting — Lessee. The Company's lessee arrangements primarily consist of ground leases for land under towers. Ground leases for land are specific to each site, generally contain an initial term of five to 10 years and are renewable (and cancelable after a notice period) at the Company's option. The Company also enters into term easements and ground leases in which it prepays the entire term. The majority of the Company's lease agreements have certain termination rights that provide for cancellation after a notice period and multiple renewal options at the Company's option. The Company includes renewal option periods in its calculation of the estimated lease term when it determines that the options are reasonably certain to be exercised. When such renewal options are deemed to be reasonably certain, the estimated lease term determined under ASC 842 will be greater than the non-cancelable term of the contractual arrangement. Although certain renewal periods are included in the estimated lease term, the Company would have the ability to terminate or elect to not renew a particular lease if business conditions warrant such a decision. The Company classifies its lessee arrangements at inception as either operating leases or finance leases. A lease is classified as a finance lease if at least one of the following criteria is met: (1) the lease transfers ownership of the underlying asset to the lessee, (2) the lease grants the lessee an option to purchase the underlying asset that the lessee is reasonably certain to exercise, (3) the lease term is for a major part of the remaining economic life of the underlying asset, (4) the present value of the sum of the lease payments equals or exceeds substantially all of the fair value of the underlying asset, or (5) the underlying asset is of such a specialized nature that it is expected to have no alternative use to the lessor at the end of the lease term. A lease is classified as an operating lease if none of the five criteria described above for finance lease classification is met. ROU assets associated with operating leases are included in "Operating lease right-of-use assets" on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet. Current and long-term portions of lease liabilities related to operating leases are included in "Current portion of operating lease liabilities — third parties," "Current portion of operating lease liabilities — related parties," "Operating lease liabilities — third parties" and "Operating lease liabilities — related parties" on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet. ROU assets represent the Company's right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Company's present value of its future lease payments. In assessing its leases and determining its lease liability at lease commencement or upon modification, the Company was not able to readily determine the rate implicit for its lessee arrangements, and thus has used CCIC's incremental borrowing rate on a collateralized basis to determine the present value of the lease payments. The Company's ROU assets are measured as the balance of the lease liability plus any prepaid or accrued lease payments and any unamortized initial direct costs. Operating lease expenses are recognized on a ratable basis, regardless of whether the payment terms require the Company to make payments annually, quarterly, monthly, or for the entire term in advance. Certain of the Company's ground lease agreements contain fixed escalation clauses (such as fixed dollar or fixed percentage increases) or inflation-based escalation clauses (such as those tied to the change in CPI). If the payment terms include fixed escalator provisions, the effect of such increases is recognized on a straight-line basis. The Company calculates the straight-line expense over the contract's estimated lease term, including any renewal option periods that the Company deems reasonably certain to be exercised. Lease agreements may also contain provisions for a contingent payment based on (1) the revenues derived from the communications infrastructure located on the leased asset or (2) the change in CPI. The Company's contingent payments are considered variable lease payments and are (1) not included in the initial measurement of the ROU asset or lease liability due to the uncertainty of the payment amount and (2) recorded as expense in the period such contingencies are resolved. ROU assets associated with finance leases are included in "Property and equipment, net" on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet. If applicable, the Company measures the lease liability for finance leases using the effective interest method. The initial lease liability is increased to reflect interest on the liability and decreased to reflect payments made during the period. Interest on the lease liability is determined each period during the lease term as the amount that results in a constant periodic discount rate on the remaining balance of the liability. The Company measures ROU assets for finance leases on a ratable basis over the applicable lease term. Lease Accounting — Lessor. The Company's lessor arrangements primarily include contracts for dedicated space on its communications infrastructure. The Company classifies its leases at inception as operating, direct financing or sales-type leases. A lease is classified as a sales-type lease if at least one of the following criteria is met: (1) the lease transfers ownership of the underlying asset to the lessee, (2) the lease grants the lessee an option to purchase the underlying asset that the lessee is reasonably certain to exercise, (3) the lease term is for a major part of the remaining economic life of the underlying asset, (4) the present value of the sum of the lease payments equals or exceeds substantially all of the fair value of the underlying assets, or (5) the underlying asset is of such a specialized nature that it is expected to have no alternative use to the lessor at the end of the lease term. Furthermore, when none of the above criteria is met, a lease is classified as a direct financing lease if both of the following criteria are met: (1) the present value of the of the sum of the lease payments and any residual value guaranteed by the lessee that is not already reflected in the lease payments equals or exceeds the fair value of the underlying asset and (2) it is probable that the lessor will collect the lease payments plus any amount necessary to satisfy a residual value guarantee. A lease is classified as an operating lease if it does not qualify as a sales-type or direct financing lease. Currently, the Company classifies all of its lessor arrangements as operating leases. Site rental revenues from the Company’s lessor arrangements are recognized on a straight-line, ratable basis over the fixed, non-cancelable term of the relevant contract, regardless of whether the payments from the tenant are received in equal monthly amounts during the life of a contract. Certain of the Company's contracts contain fixed escalation clauses (such as fixed-dollar or fixed-percentage increases) or inflation-based escalation clauses (such as those tied to the change in CPI). If the payment terms call for fixed elements, such as fixed escalations, upfront payments, or rent-free periods, the rental revenue is recognized on a straight-line basis over the fixed, non-cancelable term of the agreement. When calculating straight-line site rental revenues, the Company considers all fixed elements of tenant contractual escalation provisions. See note 8 for further information. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted No new accounting pronouncements issued but not yet adopted are expected to have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

Debt and Other Obligations

Debt and Other Obligations	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Extinguishment of Debt [Line Items]
Debt and Other Obligations	Debt The outstanding balance of the 3.849% Secured Notes due April 2023 as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 was $995 million and $994 million , respectively. Interest Expense and Amortization of Deferred Financing Costs The components of interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs are as follows: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019 2018 2019 2018 Interest expense on debt obligations $ 9,623 $ 9,623 $ 28,868 $ 28,868 Amortization of deferred financing costs 346 346 1,038 1,038 Total $ 9,969 $ 9,969 $ 29,906 $ 29,906

Related Party Transactions

Related Party Transactions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Related Party Transactions	Related Party Transactions Pursuant to the Management Agreement, CCUSA has agreed to employ, supervise and pay at all times a sufficient number of capable employees as may be necessary to perform services in accordance with the operation standards defined in the Management Agreement. CCUSA currently acts as the Manager of the sites held by subsidiaries of CCIC. The management fee is equal to 7.5% of the Company’s Operating Revenues, as defined in the Management Agreement, which is based on the Company’s reported revenues adjusted to exclude certain items including revenues related to the accounting for leases with fixed escalators. The fee is compensation for those functions reasonably necessary to maintain, market, operate, manage and administer the sites, other than the operating expenses (which includes real estate and personal property taxes, ground lease and easement payments, and insurance premiums). Further, in connection with its role as Manager, CCUSA may make certain modifications to the Company's towers. In addition, CCUSA may perform installation services on the Company's towers, for which the Company is not a party to any agreement and for which no operating results are reflected herein. As part of the CCIC strategy to obtain long-term control of the land under its towers, affiliates of the Company have acquired rights to land under the Company's towers. These affiliates then lease the land to the Company. Under such circumstances, the Company's obligation typically continues with the same or similar economic terms as the contract for the land that existed prior to an affiliate acquiring rights to such land. As of September 30, 2019 , approximately 30% of the Company's towers were located on land which was controlled by an affiliate. Also, the Company receives site rental revenue from affiliates for land controlled by the Company on which affiliates have towers and pays ground rent expense to affiliates for land owned by affiliates on which the Company has towers. For the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 , the Company recorded equity distributions of $225.8 million and $238.7 million , respectively, reflecting distributions to its member. Cash on hand in excess of the amount that is required by the Management Agreement has been, and is expected to continue to be, distributed to the Company's parent company. As of September 30, 2019 and 2018 , other than the amounts of its ROU assets and operating lease liabilities related to land leased from affiliates of the Company reflected in "Operating lease right-of-use assets," "Current portion of operating lease liabilities — related parties" and "Operating lease liabilities — related parties" on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet, the Company had no material related party assets or liabilities on its condensed consolidated balance sheet.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes CCIC operates as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a REIT, CCIC is generally entitled to a deduction for dividends that it pays and therefore is not subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax on its net taxable income that is currently distributed to its stockholders. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Company's assets and operations are included in the CCIC REIT. For the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 , the Company's effective tax rate differed from the federal statutory rate predominately due to (1) CCIC's REIT status, including the dividends paid deduction and (2) state taxes.

Fair Values

Fair Values	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Disclosures	Fair Values The fair value of cash and cash equivalents approximates the carrying value. The Company determines the fair value of its debt securities based on indicative, non-binding quotes from brokers. Quotes from brokers require judgment and are based on the brokers' interpretation of market information, including implied credit spreads for similar borrowings on recent trades or bid/ask prices or quotes from active markets, if applicable. Since December 31, 2018 , there have not been any changes in the Company's valuation techniques used to measure fair values. The estimated fair values of the Company's financial instruments, along with the carrying amounts of the related assets and liabilities, are as follows: Level in Fair Value Hierarchy September 30, 2019 December 31, 2018 Carrying Amount Fair Value Carrying Amount Fair Value Assets: Cash and cash equivalents 1 $ 18,486 $ 18,486 $ 18,707 $ 18,707 Liabilities: Debt 2 995,085 1,047,800 994,047 990,600

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies The Company is involved in various claims, lawsuits or proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. While there are uncertainties inherent in the ultimate outcome of such matters, and it is impossible to presently determine the ultimate costs or losses that may be incurred, if any, management believes the resolution of such uncertainties and the incurrence of such costs should not have a material adverse effect on the Company's condensed consolidated financial position or results of operations. In addition, CCIC, through its subsidiaries (including the Company), has the option to purchase in 2037 all (but not less than all) of the Sprint Sites, which represent approximately 68% of the Company's sites. CCIC has no obligation to exercise the purchase option.

Leases (Notes)

Leases (Notes)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Leases [Abstract]
Leases [Text Block]	Leases Lessor Tenant Leases The following table is a summary of the rental cash payments owed to the Company, as a lessor, by tenants pursuant to contractual agreements in effect as of September 30, 2019 . Generally, the Company's leases with its tenants provide for (1) annual escalations, (2) multiple renewal periods at the tenant's option and (3) only limited termination rights at the applicable tenant's option through the current term. The tenants' rental payments included in the table below are through the current terms with a maximum current term of 20 years and do not assume exercise of tenant renewal options. Three Months Ending December 31, Years Ending December 31, 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Thereafter Total Tenant leases (a) $ 166,906 $ 675,608 $ 672,744 $ 658,638 $ 515,992 $ 1,810,523 $ 4,500,411 (a) Inclusive of leases with related parties. See note 4. Lessee Operating Leases The components of the Company's lease expense is as follows: Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019 September 30, 2019 Lease cost (a) : Operating lease expense (b) 30,826 90,027 Variable lease expense (c) 8,458 27,080 Total lease expense $ 39,284 $ 117,107 (a) Inclusive of leases with related parties. See note 4. (b) Represents the Company's operating lease expense related to its ROU assets for both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 . (c) Represents the Company's contingent payments for operating leases (such as payments based on revenues derived from the communications infrastructure located on the leased asset) for both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 . Such contingencies are recognized as expense in the period they are resolved. Lessee Finance Leases The Company's finance leases are related to the towers subject to prepaid master lease agreements with Sprint and are recorded as "Property and equipment, net" on the condensed consolidated balance sheet. See note 1 for further discussion of the Company's prepaid master lease agreements and note 2 for further information regarding the Company's adoption method of the new lease standard. Finance leases and associated leasehold improvements related to gross property and equipment and accumulated depreciation were $979 million and $635 million , respectively, as of September 30, 2019 . For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 , the Company recorded $10 million and $31 million to "Depreciation, amortization and accretion" related to finance leases, respectively. Other Lessee Information As of September 30, 2019 , the Company's weighted-average remaining lease term and weighted-average discount rate for operating leases were 16 years and 4.4% , respectively. The following table is a summary of the Company's maturities of operating lease liabilities as of September 30, 2019 : Three months ending December 31, Years ending December 31, 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Thereafter Total undiscounted lease payments Less: Imputed interest Total operating lease liabilities Operating leases (a)(b) $ 25,842 $ 107,212 $ 107,256 $ 106,786 $ 106,235 $ 1,252,978 $ 1,706,309 $ (505,011 ) $ 1,201,298 (a) Excludes the Company's contingent payments for operating leases (such as payments based on revenues derived from the communications infrastructure located on the leased asset) as such arrangements are excluded from the Company's operating lease liability. Such contingencies are recognized as expense in the period they are resolved. (b) Inclusive of leases with related parties. See note 4. Comparative Information from 2018 Form 10-K The Company adopted ASC 842 using a modified retrospective approach as of the effective date, without adjusting the comparative periods, and therefore, as required by ASC 842, has included the following comparative information from note 10 to the consolidated financial statements in its 2018 Form 10-K. The operating lease payments included in the table below include payments for certain renewal periods at the Company's option that are deemed reasonably assured to be exercised and an estimate of contingent payments based on revenues and gross margins derived from existing tenant leases. Years ending December 31, 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Thereafter Total Operating leases (a) $ 142,671 $ 144,069 $ 144,390 $ 142,144 $ 140,193 $ 1,697,442 $ 2,410,909 (a) Inclusive of leases with related parties. See note 4.

Supplemental Cash Flow Informat

Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Notes)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Abstract]
Cash Flow, Supplemental Disclosures [Text Block]	Supplemental Cash Flow Information Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019 2018 Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: Cash payments related to operating lease liabilities (a)(b) $ 79,643 $ — Interest paid 19,246 19,246 Supplemental disclosure of non-cash operating, investing and financing activities: New ROU assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities (b) 71,578 — (a) Excludes cash payments related to contingent payment pursuant to operating leases, which are recorded as expense in the period such contingencies are resolved. (b) Inclusive of leases with related parties. See note 4.

Guarantor Subsidiaries (Notes)

Guarantor Subsidiaries (Notes)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Guarantees [Abstract]
Guarantor Subsidiaries	Guarantor Subsidiaries CCL has no independent assets or operations. The 3.849% Secured Notes are guaranteed by all subsidiaries of CCL, each of which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CCL, other than Crown Castle GS III Corp., which is a co-issuer of the 2012 Secured Notes and a wholly-owned finance subsidiary. Such guarantees are full and unconditional and joint and several. Subject to the provisions of the Secured Notes Indenture, a guarantor may be released and relieved of its obligations under its guarantee under certain circumstances including: (1) in the event of any sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of any guarantor, by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise to a person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) CCL or a subsidiary of CCL, (2) in the event of any sale or other disposition of all of the capital stock of any guarantor, to a person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) CCL or a subsidiary of CCL, (3) upon CCL's exercise of legal defeasance in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Secured Notes Indenture, or (4) upon the discharge of the Secured Notes Indenture in accordance with its terms.

Summary of Significant Accoun_2

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements Lease Accounting — Summary of Adoption Impact. Effective January 1, 2019, the Company adopted new guidance on the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases (commonly referred to as "ASC 842" or the "new lease standard"). The new lease standard requires lessees to recognize a lease liability, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments for all leases, and a corresponding right-of-use ("ROU") asset. The accounting for lessors remained largely unchanged from previous guidance. Due to the recognition of the lease liability and a corresponding ROU asset, the new lease standard had a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet. Additionally, certain amounts related to our lessee arrangements that were previously reported separately have been de-recognized and reclassified into "Operating lease right-of-use assets" on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet. These amounts include (1) the Company's liability related to straight-line expense formerly referred to as "Deferred ground lease payable" and previously included in "Other accrued liabilities" and "Other liabilities," (2) prepaid rent expense previously included in "Prepaid expenses" and "Long-term prepaid rent and other assets, net," (3) below market leases previously included in "Other intangible assets, net," and (4) above market leases previously included in "Other liabilities." Notwithstanding the material impact to the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet, the Company's adoption of the new lease standard did not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated statement of operations or statement of cash flows. Additionally, the adoption of this guidance had no impact on the Company's operating practices, cash flows, contractual arrangements, or debt agreements (including compliance with any applicable covenants). Lease Accounting — General. The Company adopted the new lease standard using a modified retrospective approach as of the effective date (i.e., January 1, 2019), without adjusting the comparative periods. The Company's adoption of the new lease standard did not result in a cumulative-effect adjustment being recognized to the opening balance of retained earnings. The new lease standard provides a package of practical expedients, whereby companies can elect not to reassess (1) whether existing contracts contain leases under the new definition of a lease, (2) lease classification for expired or existing leases and (3) whether previously capitalized initial direct costs would qualify for capitalization under ASC 842. The Company elected the package of practical expedients upon adoption. The Company evaluates whether a contract meets the definition of a lease whenever a contract grants a party with the right to control the use of an identified asset for a period of time in exchange for consideration. To the extent the identified asset is able to be shared among multiple parties, the Company has determined that one party does not have control of the identified asset and the contract is not considered a lease. Lease Accounting — Lessee. The Company's lessee arrangements primarily consist of ground leases for land under towers. Ground leases for land are specific to each site, generally contain an initial term of five to 10 years and are renewable (and cancelable after a notice period) at the Company's option. The Company also enters into term easements and ground leases in which it prepays the entire term. The majority of the Company's lease agreements have certain termination rights that provide for cancellation after a notice period and multiple renewal options at the Company's option. The Company includes renewal option periods in its calculation of the estimated lease term when it determines that the options are reasonably certain to be exercised. When such renewal options are deemed to be reasonably certain, the estimated lease term determined under ASC 842 will be greater than the non-cancelable term of the contractual arrangement. Although certain renewal periods are included in the estimated lease term, the Company would have the ability to terminate or elect to not renew a particular lease if business conditions warrant such a decision. The Company classifies its lessee arrangements at inception as either operating leases or finance leases. A lease is classified as a finance lease if at least one of the following criteria is met: (1) the lease transfers ownership of the underlying asset to the lessee, (2) the lease grants the lessee an option to purchase the underlying asset that the lessee is reasonably certain to exercise, (3) the lease term is for a major part of the remaining economic life of the underlying asset, (4) the present value of the sum of the lease payments equals or exceeds substantially all of the fair value of the underlying asset, or (5) the underlying asset is of such a specialized nature that it is expected to have no alternative use to the lessor at the end of the lease term. A lease is classified as an operating lease if none of the five criteria described above for finance lease classification is met. ROU assets associated with operating leases are included in "Operating lease right-of-use assets" on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet. Current and long-term portions of lease liabilities related to operating leases are included in "Current portion of operating lease liabilities — third parties," "Current portion of operating lease liabilities — related parties," "Operating lease liabilities — third parties" and "Operating lease liabilities — related parties" on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet. ROU assets represent the Company's right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Company's present value of its future lease payments. In assessing its leases and determining its lease liability at lease commencement or upon modification, the Company was not able to readily determine the rate implicit for its lessee arrangements, and thus has used CCIC's incremental borrowing rate on a collateralized basis to determine the present value of the lease payments. The Company's ROU assets are measured as the balance of the lease liability plus any prepaid or accrued lease payments and any unamortized initial direct costs. Operating lease expenses are recognized on a ratable basis, regardless of whether the payment terms require the Company to make payments annually, quarterly, monthly, or for the entire term in advance. Certain of the Company's ground lease agreements contain fixed escalation clauses (such as fixed dollar or fixed percentage increases) or inflation-based escalation clauses (such as those tied to the change in CPI). If the payment terms include fixed escalator provisions, the effect of such increases is recognized on a straight-line basis. The Company calculates the straight-line expense over the contract's estimated lease term, including any renewal option periods that the Company deems reasonably certain to be exercised. Lease agreements may also contain provisions for a contingent payment based on (1) the revenues derived from the communications infrastructure located on the leased asset or (2) the change in CPI. The Company's contingent payments are considered variable lease payments and are (1) not included in the initial measurement of the ROU asset or lease liability due to the uncertainty of the payment amount and (2) recorded as expense in the period such contingencies are resolved. ROU assets associated with finance leases are included in "Property and equipment, net" on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet. If applicable, the Company measures the lease liability for finance leases using the effective interest method. The initial lease liability is increased to reflect interest on the liability and decreased to reflect payments made during the period. Interest on the lease liability is determined each period during the lease term as the amount that results in a constant periodic discount rate on the remaining balance of the liability. The Company measures ROU assets for finance leases on a ratable basis over the applicable lease term. Lease Accounting — Lessor. The Company's lessor arrangements primarily include contracts for dedicated space on its communications infrastructure. The Company classifies its leases at inception as operating, direct financing or sales-type leases. A lease is classified as a sales-type lease if at least one of the following criteria is met: (1) the lease transfers ownership of the underlying asset to the lessee, (2) the lease grants the lessee an option to purchase the underlying asset that the lessee is reasonably certain to exercise, (3) the lease term is for a major part of the remaining economic life of the underlying asset, (4) the present value of the sum of the lease payments equals or exceeds substantially all of the fair value of the underlying assets, or (5) the underlying asset is of such a specialized nature that it is expected to have no alternative use to the lessor at the end of the lease term. Furthermore, when none of the above criteria is met, a lease is classified as a direct financing lease if both of the following criteria are met: (1) the present value of the of the sum of the lease payments and any residual value guaranteed by the lessee that is not already reflected in the lease payments equals or exceeds the fair value of the underlying asset and (2) it is probable that the lessor will collect the lease payments plus any amount necessary to satisfy a residual value guarantee. A lease is classified as an operating lease if it does not qualify as a sales-type or direct financing lease. Currently, the Company classifies all of its lessor arrangements as operating leases. Site rental revenues from the Company’s lessor arrangements are recognized on a straight-line, ratable basis over the fixed, non-cancelable term of the relevant contract, regardless of whether the payments from the tenant are received in equal monthly amounts during the life of a contract. Certain of the Company's contracts contain fixed escalation clauses (such as fixed-dollar or fixed-percentage increases) or inflation-based escalation clauses (such as those tied to the change in CPI). If the payment terms call for fixed elements, such as fixed escalations, upfront payments, or rent-free periods, the rental revenue is recognized on a straight-line basis over the fixed, non-cancelable term of the agreement. When calculating straight-line site rental revenues, the Company considers all fixed elements of tenant contractual escalation provisions. See note 8 for further information. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted No new accounting pronouncements issued but not yet adopted are expected to have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

Debt and Other Obligations (Tab

Debt and Other Obligations (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Extinguishment of Debt [Line Items]
Components of Interest Expense and Amortization of Deferred Financing Costs	The components of interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs are as follows: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019 2018 2019 2018 Interest expense on debt obligations $ 9,623 $ 9,623 $ 28,868 $ 28,868 Amortization of deferred financing costs 346 346 1,038 1,038 Total $ 9,969 $ 9,969 $ 29,906 $ 29,906

Fair Value Disclosures (Tables)

Fair Value Disclosures (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Estimated Fair Values and Carrying Amounts of Assets and Liabilities	The estimated fair values of the Company's financial instruments, along with the carrying amounts of the related assets and liabilities, are as follows: Level in Fair Value Hierarchy September 30, 2019 December 31, 2018 Carrying Amount Fair Value Carrying Amount Fair Value Assets: Cash and cash equivalents 1 $ 18,486 $ 18,486 $ 18,707 $ 18,707 Liabilities: Debt 2 995,085 1,047,800 994,047 990,600

Leases (Tables)

Leases (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Leases [Abstract]
Lessor, Tenant Leases	The following table is a summary of the rental cash payments owed to the Company, as a lessor, by tenants pursuant to contractual agreements in effect as of September 30, 2019 . Generally, the Company's leases with its tenants provide for (1) annual escalations, (2) multiple renewal periods at the tenant's option and (3) only limited termination rights at the applicable tenant's option through the current term. The tenants' rental payments included in the table below are through the current terms with a maximum current term of 20 years and do not assume exercise of tenant renewal options. Three Months Ending December 31, Years Ending December 31, 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Thereafter Total Tenant leases (a) $ 166,906 $ 675,608 $ 672,744 $ 658,638 $ 515,992 $ 1,810,523 $ 4,500,411 (a) Inclusive of leases with related parties. See note 4.
Lessee, Operating Leases	The components of the Company's lease expense is as follows: Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019 September 30, 2019 Lease cost (a) : Operating lease expense (b) 30,826 90,027 Variable lease expense (c) 8,458 27,080 Total lease expense $ 39,284 $ 117,107 (a) Inclusive of leases with related parties. See note 4. (b) Represents the Company's operating lease expense related to its ROU assets for both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 . (c) Represents the Company's contingent payments for operating leases (such as payments based on revenues derived from the communications infrastructure located on the leased asset) for both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 . Such contingencies are recognized as expense in the period they are resolved.
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Maturity [Table Text Block]	The following table is a summary of the Company's maturities of operating lease liabilities as of September 30, 2019 : Three months ending December 31, Years ending December 31, 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Thereafter Total undiscounted lease payments Less: Imputed interest Total operating lease liabilities Operating leases (a)(b) $ 25,842 $ 107,212 $ 107,256 $ 106,786 $ 106,235 $ 1,252,978 $ 1,706,309 $ (505,011 ) $ 1,201,298 (a) Excludes the Company's contingent payments for operating leases (such as payments based on revenues derived from the communications infrastructure located on the leased asset) as such arrangements are excluded from the Company's operating lease liability. Such contingencies are recognized as expense in the period they are resolved. (b) Inclusive of leases with related parties. See note 4.
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Maturity - Comparative 2018 10-K	The operating lease payments included in the table below include payments for certain renewal periods at the Company's option that are deemed reasonably assured to be exercised and an estimate of contingent payments based on revenues and gross margins derived from existing tenant leases. Years ending December 31, 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Thereafter Total Operating leases (a) $ 142,671 $ 144,069 $ 144,390 $ 142,144 $ 140,193 $ 1,697,442 $ 2,410,909 (a) Inclusive of leases with related parties. See note 4.

Supplemental Cash Flow Inform_2

Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Tables) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Supplemental Cash Flow Elements [Abstract]
Cash payments related to operating lease liabilities	[1],[2]	$ 79,643	$ 0
Interest Paid		19,246	19,246
New ROU assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities	[2]	$ 71,578	$ 0
[1]	Excludes cash payments related to contingent payment pursuant to operating leases, which are recorded as expense in the period such contingencies are resolved.
[2]	Inclusive of leases with related parties. See note 4.

General Business (Details)

General Business (Details) - Leased or Operated Under Sprint Master Lease Agreements [Member] $ in Billions	Sep. 30, 2019USD ($)
Site count as a percentage of total sites	68.00%
Purchase option price	$ 2.3

Summary of Significant Accoun_3

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Significant Accounting Policies (Details)	Sep. 30, 2019
Minimum [Member]
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Ground Lease Agreement, Initial Term	5 years
Maximum [Member]
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Ground Lease Agreement, Initial Term	10 years

Debt and Other Obligations (Ind

Debt and Other Obligations (Indebtedness) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	$ 995,085	$ 994,047
2012 secured notes tranche B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	3.849%

Debt and Other Obligations (Com

Debt and Other Obligations (Components of Interest Expense and Amortization of Deferred Financing Costs) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Debt and Other Obligations [Abstract]
Interest expense on debt obligations	$ 9,623	$ 9,623	$ 28,868	$ 28,868
Amortization of deferred financing costs	346	346	1,038	1,038
Total	$ 9,969	$ 9,969	$ 29,906	$ 29,906

Related Party Transactions (Det

Related Party Transactions (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Management Fee, Percent Fee	7.50%
Distributions to member	$ (81,821)	$ (79,093)	$ (225,801)	$ (238,716)
Affiliated Entity [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Percentage of Towers Where Land is Owned by Related Party	30.00%		30.00%
Accumulated Earnings (Deficit) [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Distributions to member	$ (47,272)	(42,817)	$ (136,017)	(124,753)
Members' Equity [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Distributions to member	$ (34,549)	$ (36,276)	(89,784)	(113,963)
Net Equity contribution (distribution) from parent [Member] | Members' Equity [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Distributions to member			$ (225,800)	$ (238,700)

Fair Value Disclosures (Estimat

Fair Value Disclosures (Estimated Fair Values and Carrying Amounts of Assets and Liabilities) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents, carrying value	$ 18,486	$ 18,707	$ 24,236	$ 30,771
Cash and cash equivalents, Fair Value	18,486	18,707
Debt	995,085	994,047
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Debt, fair value	$ 1,047,800	$ 990,600

Commitments and Contingencies T

Commitments and Contingencies Tower count as a percentage of total towers (Details)	Sep. 30, 2019
Leased or Operated Under Sprint Master Lease Agreements [Member]
Contractual Terms [Line Items]
Site count as a percentage of total sites	68.00%

Leases (Details)

Leases (Details) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019USD ($)
Leases [Abstract]
Maximum Current Lease Rental Term	20 years
Tenant Leases Remaining During Year 1	$ 166,906	[1]
Tenant Leases Year 2	675,608	[1]
Tenant Leases Year 3	672,744	[1]
Tenant Leases Year 4	658,638	[1]
Tenant Leases Year 5	515,992	[1]
Tenant Leases Thereafter	1,810,523	[1]
Total Tenant Leases	$ 4,500,411	[1]
[1]	Inclusive of leases with related parties. See note 4.

Leases Lessee Operating Leases

Leases Lessee Operating Leases (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019
Leases [Abstract]
Operating Lease, Expense	[1],[2]	$ 30,826	$ 90,027
Variable Lease, Expense	[1],[3]	8,458	27,080
Total Lease Expense	[1]	$ 39,284	$ 117,107
[1]	Inclusive of leases with related parties. See note 4.
[2]	Represents the Company's operating lease expense related to its ROU assets for both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 .
[3]	Represents the Company's contingent payments for operating leases (such as payments based on revenues derived from the communications infrastructure located on the leased asset) for both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 . Such contingencies are recognized as expense in the period they are resolved.

Leases Lessee Finance Leases (D

Leases Lessee Finance Leases (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019USD ($)
Leases [Abstract]
Finance Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	$ 979	$ 979
Accumulated Amortization Related to Finance Leases		635
Finance Lease, Right-of-Use Asset, Amortization	$ 10	$ 31

Leases Other Lessee Information

Leases Other Lessee Information (Details)	Sep. 30, 2019
Leases [Abstract]
Operating Lease, Weighted-Average Remaining Lease Term	16 years
Lessee, Operating Lease, Weighted-Average Discount Rate	4.40%

Leases Maturities of Lease Liab

Leases Maturities of Lease Liabilities (Details) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019USD ($)	[1],[2]
Leases [Abstract]
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Maturities, Remaining During Year	$ 25,842
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Maturities, Due Year Two	107,212
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Maturities, Due Year Three	107,256
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Maturities, Due Year Four	106,786
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Maturities, Due Year Five	106,235
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Maturities, Due Thereafter	1,252,978
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Maturities, Due	1,706,309
Less: Imputed Interest	505,011
Total, Operating Lease Liability	$ 1,201,298
[1]	Excludes the Company's contingent payments for operating leases (such as payments based on revenues derived from the communications infrastructure located on the leased asset) as such arrangements are excluded from the Company's operating lease liability. Such contingencies are recognized as expense in the period they are resolved.
[2]	Inclusive of leases with related parties. See note 4.

Leases Operating Expense 5yr Ta

Leases Operating Expense 5yr Table (2018 10-K) (Details) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)	[1]
Leases [Abstract]
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Next Twelve Months	$ 142,671
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Two Years	144,069
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Three Years	144,390
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Four Years	142,144
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Five Years	140,193
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due Thereafter	1,697,442
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due	$ 2,410,909
[1]	Inclusive of leases with related parties. See note 4.

Supplemental Cash Flow Inform_3

Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Supplemental Cash Flow Information Related to Leases [Abstract]
Cash payments related to operating lease liabilities	[1],[2]	$ 79,643	$ 0
Interest Paid		19,246	19,246
New ROU assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities	[2]	$ 71,578	$ 0
[1]	Excludes cash payments related to contingent payment pursuant to operating leases, which are recorded as expense in the period such contingencies are resolved.
[2]	Inclusive of leases with related parties. See note 4.