Condensed Consolidated Statement of Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Net [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative effect upon adoption					$ (2,234)
Cumulative effect upon adoption | ASU 2016-01 [Member]	$ 0			$ 2,234	(2,234)
Cumulative effect upon adoption | ASU 2017-05 [Member]	123,708			119,651		$ 4,057
Balance at period beginning at Dec. 31, 2017	6,396,825	$ 7	$ 7,129,571	(833,726)	(18,446)	119,419
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017		66,054
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	289,159			272,333		16,826
Reversal of unrealized losses upon the sale of marketable debt securities	6				6
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements	12,630				12,210	420
Change in fair value of marketable debt securities, net	(87)				(84)	(3)
Issuance of common stock under:
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net	2,751	$ 0	2,751
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net (in shares)		17
Sale of common stock, net	(483)		(483)
Equity based compensation costs	8,561		7,697			864
Retirement of common stock, net	(3,774)	$ 0	(3,774)
Retirement of common stock, net (in shares)		(17)
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	(2,253)		(2,032)			(221)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(22,281)					(22,281)
Redemptions of noncontrolling interest	(157)		(143)			(14)
Redemptions of noncontrolling interest (in shares)		1
Common stock dividends	(368,577)			(368,577)
Balance at period end at Sep. 30, 2018	$ 6,436,028	$ 7	$ 7,133,587	$ (808,085)	$ (8,548)	$ 119,067
Balances (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018		66,055