Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended
May 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2013 Joint Venture Mortgage and Indebtedness	Dec. 31, 2012 Joint Venture Mortgage and Indebtedness
Commitments and Contingencies.
Insurance proceeds funded by insurers	$ 50
Minimum insurance coverage	50
Additional insurance proceeds	150
Guarantees of Joint Venture Indebtedness:
Loan guarantee		179.2	84.9
Loan guarantees recoverable		$ 81.1	$ 38.6

Represents the maximum amount of additional insurance proceeds to be received from insurance provider.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Represents the amount recoverable by the guarantor from the third parties for any of the amounts paid under the guarantee.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the amount of minimum insurance coverage provided by single insurance provider.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	spg_MinimumInsuranceCoverageBySingleInsuranceProvider
Namespace Prefix:	spg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Definition

Maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) the guarantor could be required to make under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees before reduction for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 460

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (b)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6851643&loc=d3e12069-110248

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash inflow from the amounts received by the insured under the terms of an insurance contract settlement. This element pertains only to insurance proceeds related to operating activities. It excludes insurance settlements classified as investing cash flows, for example, insurance settlements related to fixed assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 16

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3337-108585

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration