CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 232,894	$ 99,857	$ 24,012
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	102,695	145,888	166,076
Net amortization of debt discounts, premiums and deferred financing fees	3,725	1,028	(552)
Straight line rental income	(14,083)	(5,255)	(12,759)
Amortization of acquired real estate leases	21,129	34,277	51,140
Other amortization	14,513	21,309	20,931
Share-based compensation	18,530	15,425	5,733
Loss on asset impairment	58,476	17,162	187,305
Loss (gain) on early extinguishment of debt	2,680	(6,661)	(1,564)
Equity in earnings of investees	0	0	(24,460)
Gain on sale of equity investments	0	0	(171,561)
Gain on issuance of shares by an equity investee	0	0	(17,020)
Distributions of earnings from investees	0	0	20,680
Foreign currency exchange loss	5	8,857	0
Net gain on sale of properties	(250,886)	(84,421)	0
Other non-cash expenses	0	0	2,402
Change in assets and liabilities:
Restricted cash	(687)	(6,570)	3,486
Rents receivable and other assets	(23,921)	(47,472)	(30,785)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	4,663	(4,643)	10,389
Rent collected in advance	(6,981)	(8,462)	(229)
Security deposits	264	1,225	433
Due to related persons	0	0	(9,277)
Cash provided by operating activities	163,016	181,544	224,380
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Real estate acquisitions	(2,802)	0	0
Real estate improvements	(121,450)	(70,633)	(99,651)
Insurance proceeds received	500	0	0
Principal payments received from direct financing lease	0	7,352	7,311
Proceeds from sale of properties, net	1,149,471	1,691,831	185,299
Purchase of securities	0	0	(23,988)
Proceeds from sale of securities	0	27,068	0
Proceeds from sale of equity investments, net	0	0	710,492
Decrease (increase) in restricted cash	26,400	(6,725)	(8,225)
Cash provided by investing activities	1,052,119	1,648,893	771,238
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase and retirement of common shares	(69,987)	(87,983)	0
Redemption of preferred shares	(275,000)	0	0
Payments on borrowings	(560,187)	(259,672)	(785,316)
Deferred financing fees	(52)	(7,143)	0
Distributions to common shareholders	0	0	(29,597)
Distributions to preferred shareholders	(17,956)	(27,924)	(32,095)
Cash used in financing activities	(923,182)	(382,722)	(847,008)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(8)	(9,502)	(1,126)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	291,945	1,438,213	147,484
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	1,802,729	364,516	217,032
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	2,094,674	1,802,729	364,516
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
Interest paid	85,310	111,324	146,265
Taxes paid	327	6,028	2,732
NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Increase (decrease) in capital expenditures recorded as liabilities	10,331	(13,528)	7,690
Mortgage note payable and interest payable transferred in consensual foreclosure	$ 0	$ 43,255	$ 0