BUSINESS SEGMENTS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012 item	Jun. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 item	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Business segments
Number of business units	3			3
Non-covered loans and leases, net of unearned income	$ 3,050,891,000		$ 2,893,637,000	$ 3,050,891,000	$ 2,893,637,000	$ 2,807,713,000
Allowance for loan and lease losses	(69,142,000)	(72,061,000)	(90,110,000)	(69,142,000)	(90,110,000)	(85,313,000)	(96,427,000)	(98,653,000)
Non-covered loans and leases, net	2,981,749,000		2,803,527,000	2,981,749,000	2,803,527,000	2,722,400,000
Covered loans, net	567,396,000		761,059,000	567,396,000	761,059,000	703,023,000
Total loans and leases, net	3,549,145,000		3,564,586,000	3,549,145,000	3,564,586,000	3,425,423,000	3,622,661,000
Goodwill and other intangibles	95,491,000		58,392,000	95,491,000	58,392,000
Total assets	5,538,502,000		5,493,891,000	5,538,502,000	5,493,891,000	5,528,237,000
Total deposits	4,787,348,000		4,554,396,000	4,787,348,000	4,554,396,000	4,577,453,000	4,486,495,000
Amount of tradenames and favorable lease rights intangibles included in other assets	2,600,000		1,500,000	2,600,000	1,500,000
Interest income	75,123,000	72,890,000	72,518,000	222,413,000	224,371,000
Other interest expense	(4,352,000)	(4,477,000)	(8,077,000)	(15,549,000)	(25,503,000)
Net interest income	70,771,000	68,413,000	64,441,000	206,864,000	198,868,000
Provision for credit losses	2,141,000	271,000	(348,000)	8,486,000	(22,448,000)
Nonintrest income	5,682,000	4,871,000	7,143,000	13,815,000	23,172,000
Intangible asset amortization	(1,678,000)	(1,737,000)	(1,977,000)	(5,150,000)	(6,592,000)
Debt termination expense				(22,598,000)
Other noninterest expense	(49,979,000)		(46,610,000)	(140,389,000)	(129,932,000)
Total noninterest expense	(51,657,000)	(47,585,000)	(48,587,000)	(168,137,000)	(136,524,000)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	26,937,000	25,970,000	22,649,000	61,028,000	63,068,000
Income taxes	(10,849,000)	(10,413,000)	(9,345,000)	(24,119,000)	(26,247,000)
Net earnings	16,088,000	15,557,000	13,304,000	36,909,000	36,821,000
Banking
Business segments
Non-covered loans and leases, net of unearned income	2,661,471,000		2,737,037,000	2,661,471,000	2,737,037,000
Allowance for loan and lease losses	(65,174,000)		(87,431,000)	(65,174,000)	(87,431,000)
Non-covered loans and leases, net	2,596,297,000		2,649,606,000	2,596,297,000	2,649,606,000
Covered loans, net	567,396,000		761,059,000	567,396,000	761,059,000
Total loans and leases, net	3,163,693,000		3,410,665,000	3,163,693,000	3,410,665,000
Goodwill and other intangibles	67,898,000		58,392,000	67,898,000	58,392,000
Total assets	5,080,308,000		5,320,700,000	5,080,308,000	5,320,700,000
Total deposits	4,800,852,000		4,574,375,000	4,800,852,000	4,574,375,000
Interest income	62,358,000		67,712,000	189,886,000	210,575,000
Intersegment interest expense	454,000		317,000	1,607,000	926,000
Other interest expense	(3,287,000)		(6,854,000)	(12,002,000)	(21,835,000)
Net interest income	59,525,000		61,175,000	179,491,000	189,666,000
Provision for credit losses	3,325,000		(348,000)	9,770,000	(22,398,000)
Nonintrest income	5,191,000		6,959,000	11,382,000	22,540,000
Intangible asset amortization	(1,544,000)		(1,977,000)	(4,855,000)	(6,428,000)
Debt termination expense				(24,195,000)
Other noninterest expense	(42,877,000)		(41,967,000)	(119,317,000)	(115,055,000)
Total noninterest expense	(44,421,000)		(43,944,000)	(148,367,000)	(121,483,000)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	23,620,000		23,842,000	52,276,000	68,325,000
Income taxes	(9,491,000)		(9,841,000)	(20,412,000)	(28,505,000)
Net earnings	14,129,000		14,001,000	31,864,000	39,820,000
Asset Financing
Business segments
Non-covered loans and leases, net of unearned income	389,420,000		156,600,000	389,420,000	156,600,000
Allowance for loan and lease losses	(3,968,000)		(2,679,000)	(3,968,000)	(2,679,000)
Non-covered loans and leases, net	385,452,000		153,921,000	385,452,000	153,921,000
Total loans and leases, net	385,452,000		153,921,000	385,452,000	153,921,000
Goodwill and other intangibles	27,593,000			27,593,000
Total assets	440,690,000		158,473,000	440,690,000	158,473,000
Interest income	12,765,000		4,806,000	32,527,000	13,796,000
Intersegment interest expense	(454,000)		(317,000)	(1,607,000)	(926,000)
Other interest expense	(215,000)			(658,000)
Net interest income	12,096,000		4,489,000	30,262,000	12,870,000
Provision for credit losses	(1,184,000)			(1,284,000)	(50,000)
Nonintrest income	466,000		145,000	2,345,000	514,000
Intangible asset amortization	(134,000)			(295,000)	(164,000)
Other noninterest expense	(5,706,000)		(2,562,000)	(16,962,000)	(8,226,000)
Total noninterest expense	(5,840,000)		(2,562,000)	(17,257,000)	(8,390,000)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	5,538,000		2,072,000	14,066,000	4,944,000
Income taxes	(2,291,000)		(876,000)	(5,941,000)	(2,102,000)
Net earnings	3,247,000		1,196,000	8,125,000	2,842,000
Other
Business segments
Total assets	17,504,000		14,718,000	17,504,000	14,718,000
Total deposits	(13,504,000)		(19,979,000)	(13,504,000)	(19,979,000)
Other interest expense	(850,000)		(1,223,000)	(2,889,000)	(3,668,000)
Net interest income	(850,000)		(1,223,000)	(2,889,000)	(3,668,000)
Nonintrest income	25,000		39,000	88,000	118,000
Debt termination expense				1,597,000
Other noninterest expense	(1,396,000)		(2,081,000)	(4,110,000)	(6,651,000)
Total noninterest expense	(1,396,000)		(2,081,000)	(2,513,000)	(6,651,000)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	(2,221,000)		(3,265,000)	(5,314,000)	(10,201,000)
Income taxes	933,000		1,372,000	2,234,000	4,360,000
Net earnings	$ (1,288,000)		$ (1,893,000)	$ (3,080,000)	$ (5,841,000)