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LONG-TERM DEBT, Senior Notes (Details) (USD $)
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12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | ||||||||
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Dec. 31, 2011
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Dec. 31, 2010
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Dec. 31, 2009
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Dec. 31, 2011
Senior Notes Due 2018 8.125 percent [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Senior Notes Due 2016 10.75 percent [Member]
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Jan. 25, 2010
Senior Notes Due 2016 10.75 percent [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Convertible Senior Notes Due 2027 2.875 percent [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
Convertible Senior Notes Due 2027 2.875 percent [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2009
Convertible Senior Notes Due 2027 2.875 percent [Member]
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Jul. 10, 2007
Convertible Senior Notes Due 2027 2.875 percent [Member]
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| Debt Instrument [Line Items] | ||||||||||
| Face amount | $ 250,000,000 | $ 220,000,000 | $ 220,000,000 | |||||||
| Aggregate principal amount outstanding | 1,732,351,000 | 287,000,000 | ||||||||
| Call feature | The Company may redeem some or all of the notes at any time prior to May 15, 2014 at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount, plus any accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption, plus a 'make-whole' premium using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points. The Company may also redeem up to 35% of the notes from the proceeds of certain equity offerings prior to May 15, 2013, at a price equal to 108.125% of their principal amount, plus any accrued and unpaid interest. In addition, on or after May 15, 2014, the Company may redeem some or all of the notes at any time at redemption prices that start at 104.063% of their aggregate principal amount. The Company must also offer to redeem the notes at 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the repurchase date, if it experiences certain kinds of changes of control. | The notes are redeemable by the Company, in whole or in part, on or after August 1, 2012 at the following prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest, on August 1 of the following years: 105.375% (2012), 102.688% (2013) and 100.00% (2014 and thereafter). At any time and from time to time prior to August 1, 2012, the notes are redeemable by the Company at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus the greater of (i) 1% of the principal amount of such note; and (ii) the excess, if any, of: (A) an amount equal to the present value of (1) the redemption price of such note at August 1, 2012, plus (2) the remaining scheduled interest payments on the notes to be redeemed (subject to the right of holders on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date) to August 1, 2012 (other than interest accrued to the redemption date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points; over (B) the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed. The Company must also offer to redeem the notes at 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if it experiences certain kinds of changes of control. Due to its legal structure, the Merger was not considered a restricted transaction under these covenants and did not meet the requirements of a change of control. Lastly, if certain of the Company’s subsidiaries (specifically, those that are designated restricted subsidiaries under the indenture governing the notes) sell assets and do not apply the sale proceeds in a specified manner within a specified time, the Company will be required to make an offer to purchase the notes at their face amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the repurchase date. | The notes will be convertible, under certain circumstances, at an initial conversion rate of 36.8395 shares per $1,000 principal amount of notes, which represents a 27.5% conversion premium based on the last reported sale price of $21.29 per share on July 10, 2007. Upon conversion, the notes may be settled in shares of Live Nation common stock or, at the Company’s election, cash or a combination of cash and shares of Live Nation common stock. Assuming the Company fully settled the notes in shares, the maximum number of shares that could be issued to satisfy the conversion is 8.1 million. On or after July 20, 2014, the Company may redeem all or a portion of the notes for cash at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. | |||||||
| Description of contingent interest payments | Beginning with the period commencing on July 20, 2014 and ending on January 14, 2015, and for each of the interest periods commencing thereafter, the Company will pay contingent interest on the notes if the average trading price of the notes during the five consecutive trading days ending on the second trading day immediately preceding the first day of the applicable interest period equals or exceeds 120% of the principal amount of the notes. The contingent interest payable per note will equal 0.25% per year of the average trading price of such note during the applicable five trading-day reference period, payable in arrears. | |||||||||
| Initial conversion rate (in shares) | 36.8395 | |||||||||
| Terms of conversion feature | Holders of the 2.875% convertible senior notes may require the Company to purchase for cash all or a portion of their notes on July 15, 2014, July 15, 2017 and July 15, 2022 at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, subject to specified additional conditions. In addition, if the Company experiences a fundamental change, as defined in the indenture governing the notes, holders may require the Company to purchase for cash all or a portion of their notes, subject to specified exceptions, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. Due to its legal structure, the Merger was not considered a fundamental change under these covenants. | |||||||||
| Conversion premium (in hundredths) | 27.50% | |||||||||
| Last reported sale price used to calculate conversion premium (in dollars per share) | $ 21.29 | |||||||||
| Maximum number of shares issuable upon conversion (in shares) | 8,100,000 | |||||||||
| Carrying amount of the equity component | 73,000,000 | 73,000,000 | ||||||||
| Remaining discount amortization period (in years) | 3 | |||||||||
| Effective interest rate (in hundredths) | 9.70% | 9.70% | 9.70% | |||||||
| Interest cost recognized relating to: | ||||||||||
| Contractual interest coupon | 6,325,000 | 6,325,000 | 6,325,000 | |||||||
| Amortization of debt discount | 7,243,000 | 6,755,000 | 8,811,000 | 10,700,000 | 9,710,000 | 8,811,000 | ||||
| Amortization of debt issuance costs | 5,816,000 | 4,682,000 | 4,224,000 | 703,000 | 703,000 | 703,000 | ||||
| Total interest cost recognized on the notes | $ 17,728,000 | $ 16,738,000 | $ 15,839,000 | |||||||