Supplemental Cash Flow Disclosures (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Supplemental Disclosures:
Cash paid for interest	$ 280,659	$ 248,698
Cash paid for income taxes	10,205	7,761
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
Common stock issued in merger with Cole	0	7,285,868
Accrued capital expenditures and real estate developments	4,363	12,634
Accrued deferred financing costs	164	0
Accrued distributions	130,648	9,927
Mortgage note payable relieved by foreclosure	53,798	0
Mortgage notes payable assumed in real estate disposition	$ 300,720	$ 22,701