Income Taxes (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Schedule of deferred income tax assets and liabilities
The income tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of deferred income tax assets and liabilities are as follows.
 
December 31,
 
2014
 
2013
 
(In thousands)
Deferred income tax assets:
 

 
 

Non-capital loss carryforwards (“NOL”)
$
28,906

 
$
18,229

Lease inducements and deferred financing
15,826

 
12,528

Reserves and accruals
62,487

 
45,974

Stock-based compensation
17,889

 
12,763

Other
12,318

 
9,408

Total
137,426

 
98,902

Less valuation allowance - current
804

 
875

Less valuation allowance - long term
28,915

 
17,486

Total valuation allowance
29,719

 
18,361

Total deferred tax assets
$
107,707

 
$
80,541

Deferred tax assets — current
$
58,631

 
$
44,029

Deferred tax assets — long term
49,076

 
36,512

Total
$
107,707

 
$
80,541

Deferred income tax liabilities:
 

 
 

Property and equipment and intangible assets
$
297,978

 
$
329,842

Dividend withholding tax
5,675

 
5,675

Other
5,156

 
3,146

Total
$
308,809

 
$
338,663

Schedule of effective income tax rate reconciliation
The differences between the effective tax rate reflected in the provision for income taxes and the U.S. statutory income tax rate are as follows (dollars in thousands):
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
2014
 
2013
 
2012
Corporate statutory rate
35.0
%
 
35.0
%
 
35.0
%
Income tax expense on income before income taxes
$
177,768

 
$
140,751

 
$
66,618

Tax effect of:
 

 
 

 
 

State and local income taxes, net of federal benefit
13,527

 
10,726

 
4,281

Transaction costs and transaction related expenses
453

 
938

 
5,252

Dividend withholding tax

 
(65
)
 
13,074

Impact of foreign tax rates
(3,191
)
 
(3,693
)
 
(1,582
)
Non-controlling interest
(22,452
)
 
(13,670
)
 
(1,645
)
Cross-jurisdictional financing
(48,252
)
 
(44,659
)
 
(23,937
)
Other
3,662

 
4,479

 
3,763

   Valuation allowance
12,671

 
8,596

 
3,492

 
$
134,186

 
$
103,403

 
$
69,316

Components of income tax expense (benefit)
The components of the provision for income taxes are as follows (in thousands):
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
2014
 
2013
 
2012
Current tax expense
 

 
 

 
 

United States
$
192,021

 
$
146,484

 
$
94,834

Foreign
212

 
1,255

 
12,407

Total current tax expense
192,233

 
147,739

 
107,241

Deferred tax expense (benefit)
 

 
 

 
 

United States
(57,889
)
 
(44,180
)
 
(38,441
)
Foreign
(158
)
 
(156
)
 
516

Total deferred tax expense
(58,047
)
 
(44,336
)
 
(37,925
)
Total tax expense
$
134,186

 
$
103,403

 
$
69,316

Reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits, including interest and penalties, for 2014, 2013 and 2012 , respectively are as follows (in millions):
 
 
2014
 
2013
 
2012
Balance at January 1
 
$
28.9

 
$
18.8

 
$
0.6

    Additions for tax positions related to prior years
 
9.0

 
26.5

 
10.3

    Reductions for tax positions related to prior years
 
(0.9
)
 
(13.9
)
 

    Additions based on tax positions related to the current year
 
3.8

 
0.4

 
7.9

    Reductions due to lapse of the applicable statute of limitations
 
(4.7
)
 

 

    Decrease related to settlements with taxing authorities
 
(0.7
)
 
(2.9
)
 

Balance at December 31
 
$
35.4

 
$
28.9

 
$
18.8