Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Total Stockholders' Equity	Preferred Stock [Member]	Common stock [Member]	Common Stock Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Common Stock Distributions in Excess of Earnings [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests - Common Units of the Operating Partnership [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 2,516,160	$ 2,461,312	$ 192,411	$ 822	$ 2,478,975	$ (210,896)	$ 54,848
Beginning Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2013				82,153,944
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	183,808	180,219				180,219	3,589
Issuance of common stock	123,860	123,860		$ 20	123,840
Issuance of common stock, shares				1,950,599
Issuance of share-based compensation awards	1,692	1,692			1,692
Issuance of share-based compensation awards, shares				0
Non-cash amortization of share-based compensation	14,471	14,471			14,471
Exercise of stock options	(21,092)	(21,092)		$ (5)	(21,087)
Exercise of stock options, shares				495,000
Repurchase of common stock and restricted stock units	(3,533)	(3,533)			(3,533)
Repurchase of common stock and restricted stock units, shares				(58,045)
Settlement of restricted stock units for shares of common stock	(1)	(1)		$ 0	(1)
Settlement of restricted stock units for shares of common stock, shares				141,205
Common shares issued in connection with settlement of 4.25% Exchangeable Senior Notes	223	223		$ 21	202
Common shares issued in connection with settlement of 4.25% Exchangeable Senior Notes, shares				2,091,323
Common shares received in connection with capped call option transactions	0	0		$ (5)	5
Common shares received in connection with capped call option transactions, shares				(515,342)
Exchange of common units of the Operating Partnership	0	28			28		(28)
Exchange of common units of the Operating Partnership, shares				1,000
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest	0	866			866		(866)
Contribution by noncontrolling interest in consolidated property partnership	977						977
Preferred dividends and distributions	(13,250)	(13,250)				(13,250)
Dividends declared per share of common stock and common unit	(121,563)	(119,037)				(119,037)	(2,526)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	2,723,936	2,666,210	192,411	$ 863	2,635,900	(162,964)	57,726
Ending Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2014				86,259,684
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	238,604	234,081				234,081	4,523
Issuance of common stock	387,398	387,398		$ 56	387,342
Issuance of common stock, shares				5,640,033
Issuance of share-based compensation awards	1,692	1,692			1,692
Non-cash amortization of share-based compensation	18,869	18,869			18,869
Exercise of stock options	(14,573)	(14,573)		$ (4)	(14,569)
Exercise of stock options, shares				342,000
Repurchase of common stock and restricted stock units	(7,081)	(7,081)			(7,081)
Repurchase of common stock and restricted stock units, shares				(101,389)
Settlement of restricted stock units for shares of common stock	(1)	(1)		$ 0	(1)
Settlement of restricted stock units for shares of common stock, shares				78,937
Exchange of common units of the Operating Partnership	0	1,223			1,223		(1,223)
Exchange of common units of the Operating Partnership, shares				39,425
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest	0	4,619			4,619		(4,619)
Contribution by noncontrolling interest in consolidated property partnership	474						474
Preferred dividends and distributions	(13,250)	(13,250)				(13,250)
Dividends declared per share of common stock and common unit	(130,628)	(128,129)				(128,129)	(2,499)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 3,234,586	3,170,966	192,411	$ 923	3,047,894	(70,262)	63,620
Ending Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2015	92,258,690			92,258,690
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	$ 303,798	293,788				293,788	10,010
Issuance of common stock	31,117	31,117		$ 4	31,113
Issuance of common stock, shares				451,398
Issuance of share-based compensation awards	1,827	1,827			1,827
Non-cash amortization of share-based compensation	26,624	26,624			26,624
Exercise of stock options	(12,208)	(12,208)		$ (3)	(12,205)
Exercise of stock options, shares				286,500
Repurchase of common stock and restricted stock units	(8,875)	(8,875)		$ (1)	(8,874)
Repurchase of common stock and restricted stock units, shares				(137,126)
Settlement of restricted stock units for shares of common stock	0	0		$ 1	(1)
Settlement of restricted stock units for shares of common stock, shares				109,044
Issuance of common units in connection with acquisition	48,033						48,033
Exchange of common units of the Operating Partnership	0	8,893		$ 2	8,891		(8,893)
Exchange of common units of the Operating Partnership, shares				250,933
Initial contributions from noncontrolling interest in consolidated property partnership, net of transaction costs	453,449	328,997			328,997		124,452
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated property partnerships	(3,615)	0					(3,615)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest	0	(8,973)			(8,973)		8,973
Preferred dividends and distributions	(13,250)	(13,250)				(13,250)
Dividends declared per share of common stock and common unit	(326,585)	(318,273)				(318,273)	(8,312)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 3,759,317	$ 3,542,995	$ 192,411	$ 932	$ 3,457,649	$ (107,997)	$ 216,322
Ending Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2016	93,219,439			93,219,439