LOANS AND ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN AND LEASE LOSSES - RECORDED INVESTMENT (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	$ 3,810,778	$ 3,326,610
Residential Real Estate - Owner Occupied
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	1,000,148	1,081,934
Residential Real Estate - Owner Occupied | Performing Financing Receivable
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	989,193	1,068,737
Residential Real Estate - Owner Occupied | Nonperforming Financing Receivable
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	10,955	13,197
Owner Occupied - Correspondent
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	149,028	249,344
Owner Occupied - Correspondent | Performing Financing Receivable
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	149,028	249,344
Residential Real Estate - Non Owner Occupied
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	156,605	116,294
Residential Real Estate - Non Owner Occupied | Performing Financing Receivable
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	155,753	115,359
Residential Real Estate - Non Owner Occupied | Nonperforming Financing Receivable
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	852	935
Commercial Real Estate
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	1,023,981	824,887
Commercial real estate - purchased whole loans
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	36,515	35,674
Construction & land development
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	119,650	66,500
Commercial & Industrial
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	265,721	229,721
Lease Financing Receivables
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	13,614	8,905
Warehouse lines of credit
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	585,439	386,729
Home equity lines of credit
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	341,285	289,194
Home equity lines of credit | Performing Financing Receivable
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	340,216	287,401
Home equity lines of credit | Nonperforming Financing Receivable
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	1,069	1,793
Consumer: Republic Processing Group Loans
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	32,252	7,204
Consumer: Republic Processing Group Loans | Performing Financing Receivable
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	32,170	7,204
Consumer: Republic Processing Group Loans | Nonperforming Financing Receivable
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	82
Consumer: Credit cards
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	13,414	11,068
Consumer: Credit cards | Performing Financing Receivable
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	13,414	11,068
Consumer: Overdrafts
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	803	685
Consumer: Overdrafts | Performing Financing Receivable
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	803	685
Consumer: Automobile loan
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	52,579	6,473
Consumer: Automobile loan | Performing Financing Receivable
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	52,579	6,473
Other consumer
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	19,744	11,998
Other consumer | Performing Financing Receivable
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	19,599	11,935
Other consumer | Nonperforming Financing Receivable
Aging or recorded investments in loans
Recorded investment	$ 145	$ 63