BUSINESS SEGMENTS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 29, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 item	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Business segments
Number of reportable segments									3
Non-covered loans, net of unearned income	$ 3,046,970,000				$ 2,807,713,000				$ 3,046,970,000	$ 2,807,713,000
Allowance for loan losses	(65,899,000)				(85,313,000)				(65,899,000)	(85,313,000)	(98,653,000)
Non-covered loans and leases, net	2,981,071,000				2,722,400,000				2,981,071,000	2,722,400,000
Covered loans, net	517,258,000				703,023,000				517,258,000	703,023,000
Total loans and leases, net	3,498,329,000				3,425,423,000				3,498,329,000	3,425,423,000
Goodwill and other intangibles	94,589,000				56,556,000				94,589,000	56,556,000
Total assets	5,463,658,000				5,528,237,000				5,463,658,000	5,528,237,000
Total deposits	4,709,121,000				4,577,453,000				4,709,121,000	4,577,453,000
Amount of tradenames and favorable lease rights intangibles included in other assets	2,200,000				1,500,000				2,200,000	1,500,000
Interest income	73,702,000	75,123,000	72,890,000	74,400,000	70,913,000	72,518,000	77,196,000	74,657,000	296,115,000	295,284,000	290,284,000
Other interest expense	(4,099,000)	(4,352,000)	(4,477,000)	(6,720,000)	(7,140,000)	(8,077,000)	(8,507,000)	(8,919,000)	(19,648,000)	(32,643,000)	(40,957,000)
Net interest income	69,603,000	70,771,000	68,413,000	67,680,000	63,773,000	64,441,000	68,689,000	65,738,000	276,467,000	262,641,000	249,327,000
Negative provision (provision) for credit losses	4,333,000	2,141,000	271,000	6,074,000	(4,122,000)	(348,000)	(11,390,000)	(10,710,000)	12,819,000	(26,570,000)	(212,492,000)
Noninterest income	2,057,000	5,682,000	4,871,000	3,262,000	8,254,000	7,143,000	11,240,000	4,789,000	15,872,000	31,426,000	43,238,000
Intangible asset amortization									(6,326,000)	(8,428,000)	(9,642,000)
Debt termination expense				(22,598,000)					(22,598,000)		(2,660,000)
Other noninterest expense									(182,738,000)	(171,565,000)	(176,501,000)
Total noninterest expense	(43,525,000)	(51,657,000)	(47,585,000)	(68,895,000)	(43,469,000)	(48,587,000)	(46,538,000)	(41,399,000)	(211,662,000)	(179,993,000)	(188,803,000)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	32,468,000	26,937,000	25,970,000	8,121,000	24,436,000	22,649,000	22,001,000	18,418,000	93,496,000	87,504,000	(108,730,000)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(12,576,000)	(10,849,000)	(10,413,000)	(2,857,000)	(10,553,000)	(9,345,000)	(9,160,000)	(7,742,000)	(36,695,000)	(36,800,000)	46,714,000
NET EARNINGS (LOSS)	19,892,000	16,088,000	15,557,000	5,264,000	13,883,000	13,304,000	12,841,000	10,676,000	56,801,000	50,704,000	(62,016,000)
Banking
Business segments
Non-covered loans, net of unearned income	2,631,838,000				2,658,477,000				2,631,838,000	2,658,477,000
Allowance for loan losses	(61,469,000)				(82,628,000)				(61,469,000)	(82,628,000)
Non-covered loans and leases, net	2,570,369,000				2,575,849,000				2,570,369,000	2,575,849,000
Covered loans, net	517,258,000				703,023,000				517,258,000	703,023,000
Total loans and leases, net	3,087,627,000				3,278,872,000				3,087,627,000	3,278,872,000
Goodwill and other intangibles	66,339,000				56,556,000				66,339,000	56,556,000
Total assets	4,991,927,000				5,359,794,000				4,991,927,000	5,359,794,000
Total deposits	4,737,593,000				4,613,353,000				4,737,593,000	4,613,353,000
Interest income									251,720,000	276,734,000	272,411,000
Intersegment interest expense									2,055,000	1,226,000	1,284,000
Other interest expense									(15,043,000)	(27,720,000)	(35,363,000)
Net interest income									238,732,000	250,240,000	238,332,000
Negative provision (provision) for credit losses									14,585,000	(26,520,000)	(211,922,000)
Noninterest income									11,741,000	30,609,000	42,522,000
Intangible asset amortization									(5,898,000)	(8,264,000)	(9,264,000)
Debt termination expense									(24,195,000)		(2,660,000)
Other noninterest expense									(153,660,000)	(152,464,000)	(155,997,000)
Total noninterest expense									(183,753,000)	(160,728,000)	(167,921,000)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									81,305,000	93,601,000	(98,989,000)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									(31,542,000)	(39,554,000)	42,621,000
NET EARNINGS (LOSS)									49,763,000	54,047,000	(56,368,000)
Asset Financing
Business segments
Non-covered loans, net of unearned income	415,132,000				149,236,000				415,132,000	149,236,000
Allowance for loan losses	(4,430,000)				(2,685,000)				(4,430,000)	(2,685,000)
Non-covered loans and leases, net	410,702,000				146,551,000				410,702,000	146,551,000
Total loans and leases, net	410,702,000				146,551,000				410,702,000	146,551,000
Goodwill and other intangibles	28,250,000								28,250,000
Total assets	451,557,000				152,231,000				451,557,000	152,231,000
Interest income									44,395,000	18,550,000	17,873,000
Intersegment interest expense									(2,055,000)	(1,226,000)	(1,284,000)
Other interest expense									(884,000)
Net interest income									41,456,000	17,324,000	16,589,000
Negative provision (provision) for credit losses									(1,766,000)	(50,000)	(570,000)
Noninterest income									4,017,000	660,000	542,000
Intangible asset amortization									(428,000)	(164,000)	(378,000)
Other noninterest expense									(23,502,000)	(10,846,000)	(10,839,000)
Total noninterest expense									(23,930,000)	(11,010,000)	(11,217,000)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									19,777,000	6,924,000	5,344,000
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									(8,327,000)	(2,917,000)	(2,263,000)
NET EARNINGS (LOSS)									11,450,000	4,007,000	3,081,000
Other
Business segments
Total assets	20,174,000				16,212,000				20,174,000	16,212,000
Total deposits	(28,472,000)				(35,900,000)				(28,472,000)	(35,900,000)
Other interest expense									(3,721,000)	(4,923,000)	(5,594,000)
Net interest income									(3,721,000)	(4,923,000)	(5,594,000)
Noninterest income									114,000	157,000	174,000
Debt termination expense									1,597,000
Other noninterest expense									(5,576,000)	(8,255,000)	(9,665,000)
Total noninterest expense									(3,979,000)	(8,255,000)	(9,665,000)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									(7,586,000)	(13,021,000)	(15,085,000)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									3,174,000	5,671,000	6,356,000
NET EARNINGS (LOSS)									$ (4,412,000)	$ (7,350,000)	$ (8,729,000)