Note 9 - Other Real Estate Investments (Details Textual) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Equity Method Investments		$ 504,209	$ 742,559
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments		218,714	480,395	$ 159,560
Secured Debt		1,139,117	1,614,982
Payments to Acquire Interest in Joint Venture		$ 86,453	$ 91,609	$ 93,845
Albertsons, NAI and Safeway [Member]
Number of Stores			2,200
Number of States in which Entity Operates			33
Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage				7.00%
Preferred Equity Investments [Member]
Equity Method Investments			$ 199,900
Number of Real Estate Properties		365	421
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments		$ 27,500	$ 27,000
Equity Method Investment, Realized Gain (Loss) on Disposal		$ 10,500	$ 9,300
Number of Capital Transactions		5	9
Secured Debt		$ 427,400
Preferred Equity Investments [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument, Term		30 days
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		4.19%
Preferred Equity Investments [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument, Term		8 years
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		10.47%
Preferred Equity Investments [Member] | Leased Properties [Member]
Number of Real Estate Properties		346	385
Preferred Equity Investments [Member] | Maximum Exposure [Member]
Equity Method Investments		$ 193,700
ABS Venture [Member]
Payments to Acquire Investments	$ 85,300
ABS Venture [Member] | Two Partners [Member]
Payments to Acquire Interest in Joint Venture	105,000
ABS Venture [Member] | Colony [Member]
Payments to Acquire Interest in Joint Venture	$ 100,000
AB Acquisition [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners		9.80%
AB Acquisition [Member] | Colony [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners		4.30%	4.30%
AB Acquisition [Member] | ABS Venture [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners		14.35%	14.35%
AB Acquisition [Member] | Kimco [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners			9.80%
Safeway [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest Liability			$ 65,000
Cost Method Investments Increase (Decrease) In Additional Paid In Capital			24,000
Cost Method Investment Deferred Tax Effect			16,000
Safeway [Member] | Other Assets [Member]
Cost Method Investments			$ 190,300