Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ (6,157)	$ 15,765	$ (111,233)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to cash flows from operating activities:
Provision for (recovery of) loan losses	36,567	(1,714)	5,489
Impairment of assets	10,524	34,634	14,507
Loss on transfer of interest to unconsolidated subsidiary	0	0	7,373
Depreciation and amortization	65,247	73,571	71,530
Payments for withholding taxes upon vesting of stock-based compensation	(1,718)	(21,250)	(14,098)
Non-cash expense for stock-based compensation	12,013	13,314	19,261
Amortization of discounts/premiums and deferred financing costs on debt obligations, net	17,352	16,891	20,915
Amortization of discounts/premiums and deferred interest on loans, net	(82,782)	(59,747)	(37,383)
(Gain) loss from sales of loans	0	(19,067)	596
Earnings from equity method investments	(32,153)	(94,905)	(41,520)
Distributions from operations of other investments	29,999	80,116	17,252
Deferred operating lease income	(7,950)	(8,492)	(12,077)
Income from sales of real estate and development revenue in excess of cost of sales	(93,816)	(89,943)	(86,658)
Gain from discontinued operations	0	0	(22,233)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt, net	281	25,369	19,655
Debt discount and prepayment penalty on repayments and repurchases of debt obligations	(578)	(14,888)	(24,001)
Other operating activities, net	42,607	31,935	6,917
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Changes in accrued interest and operating lease income receivable, net	(2,068)	(1,426)	2,310
Changes in deferred expenses and other assets, net	2,631	4,601	(23,012)
Changes in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities, net	(17,112)	7,245	5,945
Cash flows used in operating activities	(59,947)	(10,342)	(180,465)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Originations and fundings of loans receivable, net	(478,822)	(622,428)	(257,600)
Capital expenditures on real estate assets	(81,525)	(68,464)	(73,057)
Capital expenditures on land and development assets	(88,219)	(74,323)	(36,346)
Acquisitions of real estate assets	0	(4,666)	(102,364)
Repayments of and principal collections on loans receivable and other lending investments, net	273,454	512,528	613,615
Net proceeds from sales of loans receivable	6,655	65,438	81,614
Net proceeds from sales of real estate	362,530	404,336	437,817
Net proceeds from sale of other investments	0	0	220,281
Distributions from other investments	119,854	61,031	36,918
Contributions to other investments	(11,531)	(159,424)	(12,784)
Changes in restricted cash held in connection with investing activities	(7,550)	29,283	(19,388)
Other investing activities, net	7,581	1,291	4,741
Cash flows from investing activities	184,028	159,793	893,447
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings from debt obligations	549,000	1,349,822	1,444,565
Repayments of debt obligations	(432,383)	(1,471,174)	(1,984,102)
Proceeds from loan participations payable	138,075	0	0
Preferred dividends paid	(51,320)	(51,320)	(49,020)
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock	0	0	193,510
Repurchase of stock	(69,511)	0	(20,985)
Redemption of HPUs	(9,811)	0	0
Payments for deferred financing costs	(2,255)	(19,595)	(17,539)
Other financing activities, net	(7,314)	1,309	(22,187)
Cash flows from (used in) financing activities	114,481	(190,958)	(455,758)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	478	0	0
Changes in cash and cash equivalents	239,040	(41,507)	257,224
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	472,061	513,568	256,344
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	711,101	472,061	513,568
Cash paid during the period for interest, net of amount capitalized	207,972	194,605	237,457
Land
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to cash flows from operating activities:
Income from sales of real estate and development revenue in excess of cost of sales	(32,834)	(2,351)	0
Operating Segments | Land
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to cash flows from operating activities:
Provision for (recovery of) loan losses	0	0	0
Loss on transfer of interest to unconsolidated subsidiary			7,373
Earnings from equity method investments	(16,683)	(14,966)	5,331
Income from sales of real estate and development revenue in excess of cost of sales	0	0	(4,055)
Gain from discontinued operations			0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net proceeds from sales of land and development assets	$ 81,601	$ 15,191	$ 0