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	$ 651,490	$ 419,222	$ 477,001
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization (including amounts in discontinued operations)	898,924	973,663	828,467
Amortization of deferred revenue and lease intangibles, net	(20,336)	(24,129)	(18,871)
Other non-cash amortization	10,357	5,448	(312)
Stock-based compensation	20,958	19,537	20,994
Straight-lining of rental income, net	(27,988)	(33,792)	(38,687)
Loss on extinguishment of debt, net	2,779	14,411	5,564
Gain on real estate dispositions (including amounts in discontinued operations)	(98,203)	(18,811)	(19,183)
Gain on real estate loan investments	(2,271)	0	(1,455)
Gain on sale of marketable securities	0	(5,800)	0
Income tax benefit	(34,227)	(42,384)	(9,431)
(Income) loss from unconsolidated entities	(4,358)	1,244	139
Distributions from unconsolidated entities	7,598	23,462	6,508
Other	(1,847)	6,693	9,416
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Decrease in other assets	5,560	42,316	5,317
Increase in accrued interest	2,604	19,995	7,958
Decrease in accounts payable and other liabilities	(43,583)	(9,308)	(18,580)
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,367,457	1,391,767	1,254,845
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net investment in real estate property	(1,429,112)	(2,650,788)	(1,468,286)
Investment in loans receivable and other	(158,635)	(171,144)	(498,992)
Proceeds from real estate disposals	300,561	492,408	118,246
Proceeds from loans receivable	320,082	109,176	73,557
Purchase of marketable securities	0	0	(96,689)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of marketable securities	0	76,800	21,689
Funds held in escrow for future development expenditures	0	4,003	4,590
Development project expenditures	(143,647)	(119,674)	(106,988)
Capital expenditures	(117,456)	(107,487)	(87,454)
Investment in unconsolidated operating entity	0	(26,282)	0
Contributions to unconsolidated entities	0	(30,704)	(5,598)
Other	(6,436)	0	(9,115)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,234,643)	(2,423,692)	(2,055,040)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net change in borrowings under credit facilities	(35,637)	(723,457)	540,203
Net cash impact of CCP Spin-Off	0	(128,749)	0
Proceeds from debt	893,218	2,512,747	2,007,707
Proceeds from debt related to CCP Spin-Off	0	1,400,000	0
Repayment of debt	(1,022,113)	(1,435,596)	(1,151,395)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	(2,846)	(3,819)	0
Payment of deferred financing costs	(6,555)	(24,665)	(14,220)
Issuance of common stock, net	1,286,680	491,023	242,107
Cash distribution to common stockholders	(1,024,968)	(1,003,413)	(875,614)
Cash distribution to redeemable OP unitholders	(8,640)	(15,095)	(5,762)
Purchases of redeemable OP units	0	(33,188)	(503)
Contributions from noncontrolling interest	7,326	0	491
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(6,879)	(12,649)	(9,559)
Other	22,136	6,983	24,602
Net cash provided by financing activities	101,722	1,030,122	758,057
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	234,536	(1,803)	(42,138)
Effect of foreign currency translation on cash and cash equivalents	(852)	(522)	2,670
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	53,023	55,348	94,816
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	286,707	53,023	55,348
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Interest paid including swap payments and receipts	395,138	391,699	361,144
Assets and liabilities assumed from acquisitions:
Real estate investments	69,092	2,565,960	370,741
Utilization of funds held for an Internal Revenue Code Section 1031 exchange	(6,954)	(8,911)	0
Other assets acquired	90,037	20,090	15,280
Debt assumed	47,641	177,857	241,076
Other liabilities	72,636	54,459	24,039
Deferred income tax liability	9,381	52,153	110,728
Noncontrolling interest	22,517	88,085	0
Equity issued	0	2,204,585	10,178
Non-cash impact of CCP Spin-Off	0	1,256,404	0
Equity issued for purchase of OP and Class C units	$ 24,318	$ 0	$ 0