Segment Reporting (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental income	$ 311,352	$ 341,183	$ 625,323	$ 683,942
Direct financing lease income	535	697	1,104	1,438
Operating expense reimbursements	26,646	25,312	49,893	48,286
Total revenues	371,019	393,721	740,039	787,689
Cole Capital reallowed fees and commissions	6,975	3,710	15,043	5,741
Acquisition related	41	1,563	283	3,745
Litigation and other non-routine costs, net of insurance recoveries	2,917	16,864	(2,258)	33,287
Property operating	38,199	32,598	73,012	63,597
General and administrative	33,094	33,958	62,494	67,064
Depreciation and amortization	197,345	217,513	401,653	436,654
Impairment of real estate	8,825	85,341	169,342	85,341
Total operating expenses	287,396	391,547	719,569	695,429
Operating income	83,623	2,174	20,470	92,260
Interest expense	(82,468)	(90,572)	(162,894)	(186,271)
Gain on extinguishment and forgiveness of debt, net	252	0	252	5,302
Other income, net	1,216	3,822	2,278	7,884
Equity in income and gain on disposition of unconsolidated entities	70	1,480	10,474	1,506
(Loss) gain on derivative instruments, net	(177)	311	(1,263)	(717)
Total other expenses, net	(81,107)	(84,959)	(151,153)	(172,296)
Income (loss) before taxes and real estate dispositions	2,516	(82,785)	(130,683)	(80,036)
Income (loss) before taxes	2,953	(107,459)	(113,071)	(136,078)
Benefit from (provision for) income taxes	280	(1,250)	224	(3,324)
Net income (loss)	3,233	(108,709)	(112,847)	(139,402)
Total Assets	17,408,511		17,408,511		$ 17,405,866
REI segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Benefit from (provision for) income taxes	(1,800)	(3,100)	(3,200)	(5,000)
Cole Capital segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Benefit from (provision for) income taxes	2,100	1,900	3,400	1,600
Operating Segments [Member] | REI segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental income	311,352	341,183	625,323	683,942
Direct financing lease income	535	697	1,104	1,438
Operating expense reimbursements	26,646	25,312	49,893	48,286
Total revenues	338,533	367,192	676,320	733,666
Acquisition related	27	1,563	244	3,286
Litigation and other non-routine costs, net of insurance recoveries	2,917	16,864	(2,258)	33,287
Property operating	38,199	32,598	73,012	63,597
General and administrative	13,701	16,827	25,929	32,197
Depreciation and amortization	190,236	209,122	386,227	419,910
Impairment of real estate	8,825	85,341	169,342	85,341
Total operating expenses	253,905	362,315	652,496	637,618
Operating income	84,628	4,877	23,824	96,048
Interest expense	(82,468)	(90,572)	(162,894)	(186,271)
Gain on extinguishment and forgiveness of debt, net	252	0	252	5,302
Other income, net	1,216	3,430	1,784	6,273
Equity in income and gain on disposition of unconsolidated entities	70	1,480	10,474	1,506
(Loss) gain on derivative instruments, net	(177)	311	(1,263)	(717)
Total other expenses, net	(81,107)	(85,351)	(151,647)	(173,907)
Income (loss) before taxes and real estate dispositions	3,521	(80,474)	(127,823)	(77,859)
Gain (loss) on disposition of real estate, net	437	(24,674)	17,612	(56,042)
Income (loss) before taxes	3,958	(105,148)	(110,211)	(133,901)
Benefit from (provision for) income taxes	(1,791)	(3,119)	(3,156)	(4,973)
Net income (loss)	2,167	(108,267)	(113,367)	(138,874)
Total Assets	17,006,098		17,006,098		16,966,729
Operating Segments [Member] | Cole Capital segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Offering-related fees and reimbursements	10,914	5,516	23,305	8,633
Transaction service fees and reimbursements	4,476	7,036	6,860	17,296
Management fees and reimbursements	17,096	13,977	33,554	28,094
Total revenues	32,486	26,529	63,719	54,023
Cole Capital reallowed fees and commissions	6,975	3,710	15,043	5,741
Acquisition related	14	0	39	459
General and administrative	19,393	17,131	36,565	34,867
Depreciation and amortization	7,109	8,391	15,426	16,744
Total operating expenses	33,491	29,232	67,073	57,811
Operating income	(1,005)	(2,703)	(3,354)	(3,788)
Total other expenses, net	0	392	494	1,611
Income (loss) before taxes	(1,005)	(2,311)	(2,860)	(2,177)
Benefit from (provision for) income taxes	2,071	1,869	3,380	1,649
Net income (loss)	1,066	$ (442)	520	$ (528)
Total Assets	$ 402,413		$ 402,413		$ 439,137