Segment Reporting (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2013		Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental income	$ 314,519,000	[1]	$ 52,664,000	[1]	$ 558,934,000	[1]	$ 93,651,000	[1]
Direct financing lease income	1,181,000	[1]	0	[1]	2,187,000	[1]	0	[1]
Operating expense reimbursements	29,256,000	[1]	2,281,000	[1]	50,732,000	[1]	4,191,000	[1]
Total real estate investment revenues	382,178,000	[1]	54,945,000	[1]	703,332,000	[1]	97,842,000	[1]
Total Cole Capital revenues	37,222,000	[1]	0	[1]	91,479,000	[1]	0	[1]
Cole Capital reallowed fees and commissions	7,068,000	[1]	0	[1]	41,504,000	[1]	0	[1]
Acquisition related	7,201,000	[1],[2]	37,266,000	[1],[2]	20,618,000	[1],[2]	47,593,000	[1],[2]
Merger and other non-routine transactions	7,422,000	[1],[3],[4]	5,865,000	[1],[3],[4]	167,720,000	[1],[3],[5]	129,433,000	[1],[3],[5]
Property operating expenses	39,286,000	[1]	3,086,000	[1]	69,041,000	[1]	5,635,000	[1]
Management fees to affiliate					13,888,000		12,493,000
General and administrative expenses	40,012,000	[1],[6]	6,283,000	[1],[6]	96,504,000	[1],[6]	14,055,000	[1],[6]
Depreciation and amortization	250,739,000	[1]	33,681,000	[1]	424,581,000	[1]	60,434,000	[1]
Impairment of real estate	1,556,000	[1],[7]	0	[1],[7]	1,556,000	[1],[7]	0	[1],[7]
Total operating expenses	353,284,000	[1]	86,181,000	[1]	835,412,000	[1]	269,643,000	[1]
Operating income (loss)	28,894,000	[1]	(31,236,000)	[1]	(132,080,000)	[1]	(171,801,000)	[1]
Total other expense	(85,492,000)		(41,075,000)		(230,358,000)		(46,431,000)
Extinguishment of debt, net	(6,469,000)	[7]	0	[7]	16,985,000	[1]	0	[1]
Other (expense) income, net	11,936,000	[1]	1,523,000	[1]	22,146,000	[1]	2,522,000	[1]
Gain (loss) on derivative instruments, net	14,207,000	[1]	(31,174,000)	[1]	7,086,000	[1]	(31,179,000)	[1]
Loss on disposition of properties, net	(1,269,000)	[1]	0	[1]	(18,874,000)	[1]	0	[1]
Gain on sale of investments	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]	451,000	[1]
Total other expenses, net	(85,492,000)	[1]	(41,075,000)	[1]	(230,358,000)	[1]	(46,431,000)	[1]
Net loss from continuing operations	(56,598,000)	[1]	(72,311,000)	[1]	(362,438,000)	[1]	(218,232,000)	[1]
Income from operations of held for sale properties	0	[1]	36,000	[1]	0	[1]	20,000	[1]
Loss from continuing operations	(56,598,000)		(72,311,000)		(362,438,000)		(218,232,000)
Income from discontinued operations	0	[1]	36,000	[1]	0	[1]	20,000	[1]
Net loss	(56,598,000)	[1],[8]	(72,275,000)	[1],[8]	(362,438,000)	[1]	(218,212,000)	[1]
Assets	21,310,496,000	[1]	4,445,903,000		21,310,496,000	[1]	4,445,903,000		7,809,083,000	[1]
Real Estate Investment Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental income	314,519,000		52,664,000		558,934,000		93,651,000
Direct financing lease income	1,181,000		0		2,187,000		0
Operating expense reimbursements	29,256,000		2,281,000		50,732,000		4,191,000
Total real estate investment revenues	344,956,000		54,945,000		611,853,000		97,842,000
Acquisition related	7,201,000		37,266,000		20,618,000		47,593,000
Merger and other non-routine transactions	5,999,000		5,865,000		165,793,000		129,433,000
Property operating expenses	39,286,000		3,086,000		69,041,000		5,635,000
Management fees to affiliate	0		0		13,888,000		12,493,000
General and administrative expenses	17,977,000		6,283,000		53,638,000		14,055,000
Depreciation and amortization	225,965,000		33,681,000		385,448,000		60,434,000
Impairment of real estate	1,556,000		0		1,556,000		0
Total operating expenses	297,984,000		86,181,000		709,982,000		269,643,000
Operating income (loss)	46,972,000		(31,236,000)		(98,129,000)		(171,801,000)
Interest expense, net	(103,897,000)		(11,424,000)		(224,848,000)		(18,225,000)
Extinguishment of debt, net	(6,469,000)		0		(15,868,000)		0
Other (expense) income, net	4,332,000		1,523,000		8,291,000		2,522,000
Gain (loss) on derivative instruments, net	14,207,000		(31,174,000)		7,086,000		(31,179,000)
Loss on disposition of properties, net	(1,269,000)		0		(18,874,000)		0
Gain on sale of investments			0		0		451,000
Total other expenses, net	(93,096,000)		(41,075,000)		(244,213,000)		(46,431,000)
Net loss from continuing operations	(46,124,000)		(72,311,000)		(342,342,000)		(218,232,000)
Income from operations of held for sale properties	0		36,000		0		20,000
Income from discontinued operations	0		36,000		0		20,000
Net loss	(46,124,000)		(72,275,000)		(342,342,000)		(218,212,000)
Assets	20,182,178,000				20,182,178,000				7,809,083,000
Cole Capital Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Dealer manager and distribution fees, selling commissions and offering reimbursements	9,969,000		0		52,422,000		0
Transaction service fees	14,411,000		0		18,970,000		0
Management fees and reimbursements	12,842,000		0		20,087,000		0
Total Cole Capital revenues	37,222,000		0		91,479,000		0
Cole Capital reallowed fees and commissions	7,068,000		0		41,504,000		0
Acquisition related	1,423,000		0		1,927,000		0
General and administrative expenses	22,035,000		0		42,866,000		0
Depreciation and amortization	24,774,000		0		39,133,000		0
Total operating expenses	55,300,000		0		125,430,000		0
Total other expenses, net	7,604,000		0		13,855,000		0
Loss from continuing operations	(10,474,000)		0		(20,096,000)		0
Assets	$ 1,128,318,000				$ 1,128,318,000				$ 0

[1] For discussion on the restatement adjustments, see Note 2 - Restatement of Previously Issued Financial Statements.

[2] Includes $113,000 and $19.9 million to affiliates for the three months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and $1.7 million and $26.8 million to affiliates for the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

[3] Includes $40,000 and $255,000 to affiliates for the three months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and $137.8 million and $107.0 million to affiliates for the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

[4] This line item caption has been updated to "merger and other non-routine transactions" in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

[5] This line item caption has been updated to merger and other non-routine transactions in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

[6] Includes $437,000 and $4.1 million to affiliates for the three months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and $16.0 million and $9.3 million to affiliates for the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

[7] This line item caption has been added and is included in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations for the period ended June 30, 2014.

[8] The statement of comprehensive loss previously began with net loss attributable to common stockholders. The statement has been updated to begin with net loss to properly show the total comprehensive loss.