Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	May 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		$ 251,721	$ 262,636	$ 769,764	$ 777,388
Property operating expenses		(70,844)	(71,918)	(212,732)	(215,645)
Interest expense		(54,292)	(56,451)	(162,710)	(174,362)
Other expense		(5,576)	(8,787)	(20,313)	(21,191)
Gain on sales of real estate assets		4,926	3,237	14,503	18,167
Segment profit (loss)		125,935	128,717	388,512	384,357
Depreciation and amortization expense		(71,794)	(74,045)	(220,505)	(221,550)
General and administrative expense		(13,222)	(12,995)	(46,865)	(46,440)
Interest and other income		451	579	1,062	6,242
Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt		(6)	0	0	256
Loss on impairment		(53,558)	(884)	(116,736)	(3,665)
Gain on investment		0	0	0	16,560
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		10,478	3,508	107,217	12,212
Income tax benefit (provision)		2,386	(448)	2,974	(2,004)
Net income		670	44,432	115,659	145,968
Capital expenditures		98,018	73,483	180,538	349,992
Total Assets	[1]	$ 6,174,321		$ 6,174,321			$ 6,479,991
Percentage of equity interest in real estate property		50.00%		50.00%
Malls
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		$ 228,918	234,095	$ 700,407	694,310
Property operating expenses		(68,189)	(69,690)	(208,975)	(209,850)
Interest expense		(35,915)	(39,707)	(105,797)	(128,168)
Other expense		0	0	0	0
Gain on sales of real estate assets		273	0	489	264
Segment profit (loss)		125,087	124,698	386,124	356,556
Capital expenditures		64,085	66,311	125,406	326,607
Total Assets		5,472,051		5,472,051			5,766,084
Associated Centers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		9,997	9,693	30,096	30,164
Property operating expenses		(2,311)	(2,260)	(7,010)	(7,206)
Interest expense		(1,424)	(1,732)	(4,557)	(5,561)
Other expense		0	0	0	0
Gain on sales of real estate assets		0	2,769	478	16,260
Segment profit (loss)		6,262	8,470	19,007	33,657
Capital expenditures		61	1,134	3,158	2,523
Total Assets		261,107		261,107			252,188
Community Centers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		4,776	5,231	14,747	14,925
Property operating expenses		(1,149)	(1,114)	(3,552)	(3,392)
Interest expense		(858)	(1,003)	(321)	(3,233)
Other expense		0	0	0	0
Gain on sales of real estate assets		0	0	3,239	0
Segment profit (loss)		2,769	3,114	14,113	8,300
Capital expenditures		1,452	489	2,420	1,884
Total Assets		246,748		246,748			263,614
All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		8,030	13,616	24,514	37,988
Property operating expenses		805	1,145	6,805	4,803
Interest expense		(16,095)	(14,008)	(52,035)	(37,400)
Other expense		(5,576)	(8,787)	(20,313)	(21,191)
Gain on sales of real estate assets		4,653	468	10,297	1,643
Segment profit (loss)		(8,183)	(7,566)	(30,732)	(14,157)
Capital expenditures		32,420	$ 5,549	49,554	$ 18,978
Total Assets		$ 194,415		$ 194,415			$ 198,105
Laredo Outlet Shoppes, LLC
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of capital improvements reflected		100.00%		100.00%
Parent Company | Laredo Outlet Shoppes, LLC
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of equity interest in real estate property		65.00%		65.00%		65.00%
Corporate Joint Venture | Laredo Outlet Shoppes, LLC
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of equity interest in real estate property		35.00%		35.00%		35.00%

[1] As of September 30, 2016, includes $618,034 of assets related to consolidated variable interest entities that can be used only to settle obligations of the consolidated variable interest entities and $484,231 of liabilities of consolidated variable interest entities for which creditors do not have recourse to the general credit of the Company. See Note 5.