SCHEDULE III REAL ESTATE AND ACCUMULATED DEPRECIATION - Summary of Activity (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) item
Reconciliation of total real estate carrying value for the years ended:
Balance at Beginning of Period	$ 12,310,846,785	$ 11,172,348,415	$ 9,918,069,735
Acquisitions	1,857,783,837	1,279,388,017	1,463,440,724
Less amounts allocated to acquired lease intangible assets and liabilities on our Consolidated Balance Sheets	(139,341,205)	(63,808,207)	(126,550,939)
Equipment	0	0	0
Improvements, Etc.	16,405,486	10,803,029	5,210,401
Other (Leasing Costs and Building Adjustments as a result of net debt premiums)	1,495,439	748,126	523,907
Total Additions	1,736,343,557	1,227,130,965	1,342,624,093
Cost of Real Estate sold or disposed of	118,792,948	76,659,381	83,059,172
Cost of Equipment sold	0	0	0
Releasing costs	418,772	592,815	732,130
Other (including Provisions for Impairment)	23,459,186	11,380,399	4,554,113
Total Deductions	142,670,906	88,632,595	88,345,414
Balance at Close of Period	13,904,519,436	12,310,846,785	11,172,348,415
Reconciliation of accumulated depreciation for the years ended:
Balance at Beginning of Period	1,691,963,148	1,390,808,700	1,121,460,394
Additions During Period - Provision for Depreciation	355,030,226	320,512,807	290,551,867
Deductions During Period: Accumulated depreciation of real estate and equipment sold or disposed of	46,264,857	19,358,359	21,203,561
Balance at Close of Period	$ 2,000,728,517	$ 1,691,963,148	$ 1,390,808,700
Number of properties on which provisions for impairment were recorded | item	40	15	12
Adjustments to estimated legal obligations related to asset retirement obligations	$ 6,525	$ (820,166)	$ 83,532
Number of land leases with adjustments recorded to estimated legal obligations related to asset retirement obligations | item	2