Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		$ 263,078	$ 260,909
Property operating expenses		(76,204)	(75,905)
Interest expense		(55,231)	(59,157)
Other expense		(9,685)	(6,476)
Gain on sales of real estate assets		0	757
Segment profit (loss)		121,958	120,128
Depreciation and amortization expense		(76,506)	(76,266)
General and administrative expense		(17,168)	(17,230)
Interest and other income		360	5,274
Gain on extinguishment of debt		6	0
Loss on impairment		(19,685)	0
Gain on investment		0	16,560
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		32,390	3,823
Income tax benefit		537	916
Income from continuing operations		41,892	53,205
Total Assets	[1]	6,383,928		$ 6,479,991
Capital expenditures		51,146	67,241
Malls
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Assets		5,624,814		5,766,084
Associated Centers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Assets		253,219		252,188
Community Centers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Assets		293,730		263,614
All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Assets		212,165		$ 198,105
Operating Segments | Malls
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		238,742	230,271
Property operating expenses		(75,377)	(73,949)
Interest expense		(34,395)	(43,698)
Other expense		0	0
Gain on sales of real estate assets			264
Segment profit (loss)		128,970	112,888
Capital expenditures		48,551	30,366
Operating Segments | Associated Centers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		10,242	10,407
Property operating expenses		(2,572)	(2,596)
Interest expense		(1,702)	(1,956)
Other expense		0	0
Gain on sales of real estate assets			0
Segment profit (loss)		5,968	5,855
Capital expenditures		1,426	5,908
Operating Segments | Community Centers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		5,482	4,681
Property operating expenses		(1,143)	(1,124)
Interest expense		(298)	(1,195)
Other expense		0	0
Gain on sales of real estate assets			0
Segment profit (loss)		4,041	2,362
Capital expenditures		428	198
Operating Segments | All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		8,612	15,550
Property operating expenses		2,888	1,764
Interest expense		(18,836)	(12,308)
Other expense		(9,685)	(6,476)
Gain on sales of real estate assets			493
Segment profit (loss)		(17,021)	(977)
Capital expenditures		$ 741	$ 30,769

[1] As of March 31, 2016, include $517,532 of assets related to consolidated variable interest entities that can be used only to settle obligations of the consolidated variable interest entities and $435,213 of liabilities of consolidated variable interest entities for which creditors do not have recourse to the general credit of the Company. See Note 5.