CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 158,637	$ 151,164	$ 135,884
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	185,391us-gaap_Depreciation	153,825us-gaap_Depreciation	141,456us-gaap_Depreciation
Net amortization of debt discounts, premiums and deferred financing fees	6,319	6,042	5,327
Straight line rental income	(9,672)us-gaap_StraightLineRent	(7,080)us-gaap_StraightLineRent	(13,849)us-gaap_StraightLineRent
Amortization of acquired real estate leases and other intangible assets	(2,322)	3,656	1,597
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	12	797	6,349
Impairment of assets	4,367	45,599	3,071
Gain on lease terminations			(375)us-gaap_GainLossOnContractTermination
Gain on sale of properties	(5,453)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfProperties	(37,392)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfProperties	101us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfProperties
Equity in earnings of an investee	(87)	(334)	(316)
Change in assets and liabilities:
Restricted cash	1,970	(3,082)	(2,304)
Other assets	(1,102)	(11,051)	991
Accrued interest	4,207	82	(6,524)
Other liabilities	8,634	4,477	11,894
Cash provided by operating activities	350,901	306,703	283,302
Cash flows from investing activities:
Real estate acquisitions and deposits	(1,225,770)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireRealEstate	(193,303)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireRealEstate	(316,769)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireRealEstate
Real estate improvements	(64,754)us-gaap_PaymentsForCapitalImprovements	(52,270)us-gaap_PaymentsForCapitalImprovements	(50,131)us-gaap_PaymentsForCapitalImprovements
Principal payments on loan receivable			38,000
Investment in Affiliates Insurance Company	(825)
Proceeds from sale of properties	27,325	92,550	1,041
Cash used for investing activities	(1,264,024)	(153,023)	(327,859)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares issued in public offering	322,807	261,813	287,052
Proceeds from issuance of unsecured senior notes, net of discount	648,915		350,000
Proceeds from unsecured term loan	350,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfDebt
Proceeds from borrowings on revolving credit facility	570,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromLinesOfCredit	275,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromLinesOfCredit	669,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromLinesOfCredit
Repayments of borrowings on revolving credit facility	(590,000)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLinesOfCredit	(365,000)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLinesOfCredit	(479,000)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLinesOfCredit
Redemption of senior notes			(225,000)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfUnsecuredDebt
Repayment of other debt	(86,432)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfOtherDebt	(36,371)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfOtherDebt	(266,528)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfOtherDebt
Payment of deferred financing fees	(8,039)us-gaap_PaymentsOfFinancingCosts	(3,326)us-gaap_PaymentsOfFinancingCosts	(12,608)us-gaap_PaymentsOfFinancingCosts
Distributions to shareholders	(305,767)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock	(288,945)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock	(259,537)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock
Cash provided by (used for) financing activities	901,484	(156,829)	63,379
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(11,639)	(3,149)	18,822
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	39,233	42,382	23,560
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	27,594	39,233	42,382
Supplemental cash flow information:
Interest paid	124,588us-gaap_InterestPaid	111,695us-gaap_InterestPaid	118,437us-gaap_InterestPaid
Income taxes paid	155us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid	600us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid	389us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid
Non-cash investing activities:
Acquisitions funded by assumed debt	(15,630)	(12,266)	(121,793)
Non-cash financing activities:
Assumption of mortgage notes payable	15,630	12,266	121,793
Issuance of common shares	$ 4,823	$ 2,541	$ 2,229

The aggregate expense charged against earnings to allocate the cost of intangible assets (nonphysical assets not used in production) and liabilities in a systematic and rational manner to the periods expected to be impacted from such assets and liabilities. As a noncash expense/ income, this element is added back to/deducted from net income when calculating cash provided by (used in) operations using the indirect method.

No definition available.