Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		$ 238,013	$ 263,078
Property operating expenses		(70,349)	(76,204)
Interest expense		(56,201)	(55,231)
Other expense		0	(9,685)
Gain on sales of real estate assets		5,988	0
Segment profit (loss)		117,451	121,958
Depreciation and amortization expense		(71,220)	(76,506)
General and administrative expense		(16,082)	(17,168)
Interest and other income		1,404	360
Gain on extinguishment of debt		4,055	6
Loss on impairment		(3,263)	(19,685)
Income tax benefit		800	537
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		5,373	32,390
Net income		38,518	41,892
Capital expenditures		43,856	51,146
Total Assets	[1]	6,126,149		$ 6,104,640
Malls
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		221,931	238,742
Property operating expenses		(66,530)	(75,377)
Interest expense		(33,245)	(34,395)
Other expense			0
Gain on sales of real estate assets		0
Segment profit (loss)		122,156	128,970
Capital expenditures		40,696	48,551
Total Assets		5,376,810		5,383,937
Associated Centers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		9,716	10,242
Property operating expenses		(1,914)	(2,572)
Interest expense		(642)	(1,702)
Other expense			0
Gain on sales of real estate assets		0
Segment profit (loss)		7,160	5,968
Capital expenditures		567	1,426
Total Assets		249,857		259,966
Community Centers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		4,564	5,482
Property operating expenses		(725)	(1,143)
Interest expense		(76)	(298)
Other expense			0
Gain on sales of real estate assets		0
Segment profit (loss)		3,763	4,041
Capital expenditures		465	428
Total Assets		239,745		215,917
All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		1,802	8,612
Property operating expenses		(1,180)	2,888
Interest expense		(22,238)	(18,836)
Other expense			(9,685)
Gain on sales of real estate assets		5,988
Segment profit (loss)		(15,628)	(17,021)
Capital expenditures		2,128	$ 741
Total Assets		$ 259,737		$ 244,820

[1] As of March 31, 2017, includes $663,290 of assets related to consolidated variable interest entities that can be used only to settle obligations of the consolidated variable interest entities and $444,033 of liabilities of consolidated variable interest entities for which creditors do not have recourse to the general credit of the Company. See Note 5.