SEGMENTS (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Segments reporting
Land sales									$ 182,643	$ 114,610	$ 38,058
Builder price participation									5,747	3,816	4,124
Minimum rents									82,621	71,178	66,926
Tenant recoveries									23,351	19,323	18,567
Condominium unit sales									267	22,067	1,139
Other land revenues									18,073	13,133	6,332
Resort and conference center revenues									39,782	15,744
Other rental and property revenues									24,402	15,818	7,572
Total revenues	108,367	94,815	93,939	79,765	85,094	86,673	50,821	53,101	376,886	275,689	142,718
Cost of sales - land									89,298	70,108	23,388
Condominium unit cost of sales									96	14,465	1,000
Master Planned Community operations									40,506	33,647	30,104
Rental property real estate taxes									13,643	10,270	13,718
Rental property maintenance costs									8,655	7,076	6,495
Resort and conference center operations									29,112	13,220
Other property operating costs									63,035	50,549	36,641
Provision for (recovery of) doubtful accounts									1,224	(235)	1,782
Provisions for impairment											503,356
Depreciation and amortization									24,429	16,782	16,563
Interest income									(9,437)	(9,876)	(369)
Interest expense									964		2,422
Early extinguishment of debt										11,305
Equity in Earnings from Real Estate Affiliates									(3,683)	(8,578)	(9,413)
Segment Basis
Segments reporting
REP EBT									109,705	62,197	(481,871)
Segment Basis | Master Planned Communities
Segments reporting
Land sales									182,643	161,383	129,044
Builder price participation									5,747	4,924	6,901
Minimum rents									576	673	27
Other land revenues									18,073	17,057	15,159
Total revenues									207,039	184,037	151,131
Cost of sales - land									89,298	94,040	73,133
Land sales operations									32,817	31,965	37,982
Land sales real estate and business taxes									7,558	9,619	12,699
Other property operating costs											(1)
Provisions for impairment											405,331
Depreciation and amortization									72	48	128
Interest income									(45)	(508)	(824)
Interest expense									(14,598)	(9,788)	(6,270)
Total expenses									115,102	125,376	522,178
Venture partner share of The Woodlands EBT										(7,949)	(11,827)
REP EBT									91,937	50,712	(382,874)
Segment Basis | Operating Assets
Segments reporting
Minimum rents									81,140	72,405	69,937
Tenant recoveries									23,210	20,254	19,704
Resort and conference center revenues									39,782	34,850	28,850
Other rental and property revenues									20,959	21,064	22,003
Total revenues									165,091	148,573	140,494
Rental property real estate taxes									11,292	10,638	12,147
Rental property maintenance costs									8,073	6,922	6,874
Resort and conference center operations									29,112	27,124	24,471
Other property operating costs									60,072	55,745	48,033
Provision for (recovery of) doubtful accounts									1,335	(107)	1,761
Provisions for impairment											80,924
Depreciation and amortization									23,318	20,309	23,461
Interest income									(185)	(127)	(168)
Interest expense									16,289	12,902	17,351
Early extinguishment of debt										11,305
Equity in Earnings from Real Estate Affiliates									(3,683)	(3,926)	338
Total expenses									145,623	140,785	215,192
Venture partner share of The Woodlands EBT										425	2,157
REP EBT									19,468	8,213	(72,541)
Segment Basis | Strategic Developments
Segments reporting
Minimum rents									905	917	1,015
Tenant recoveries									141	130	347
Condominium unit sales									267	22,067	1,139
Other rental and property revenues									3,443	1,746	182
Total revenues									4,756	24,860	2,683
Condominium unit cost of sales									96	14,465	1,000
Condominium sales operations									131	1,401	252
Rental property real estate taxes									2,351	604	3,756
Rental property maintenance costs									582	671	684
Other property operating costs									2,963	4,027	5,925
Provision for (recovery of) doubtful accounts									(111)	(137)	175
Provisions for impairment											17,101
Depreciation and amortization									225	234	212
Interest expense									219	323	34
Total expenses									6,456	21,588	29,139
REP EBT									(1,700)	3,272	(26,456)
Consolidated Properties
Segments reporting
REP EBT										49,987	(492,560)
Consolidated Properties | Master Planned Communities
Segments reporting
Land sales										114,610	38,058
Builder price participation										3,816	4,124
Minimum rents										659
Other land revenues										13,133	6,332
Total revenues										132,218	48,514
Cost of sales - land										70,108	23,388
Land sales operations										24,533	17,153
Land sales real estate and business taxes										7,713	12,699
Other property operating costs											(1)
Provisions for impairment											405,331
Depreciation and amortization										2	17
Interest income										(144)
Interest expense										(11,920)	(14,127)
Total expenses										90,292	444,460
REP EBT										41,926	(395,946)
Consolidated Properties | Operating Assets
Segments reporting
Minimum rents										69,602	65,911
Tenant recoveries										19,193	18,220
Resort and conference center revenues										15,744
Other rental and property revenues										14,072	7,390
Total revenues										118,611	91,521
Rental property real estate taxes										9,666	9,962
Rental property maintenance costs										6,405	5,811
Resort and conference center operations										13,220
Other property operating costs										46,522	30,717
Provision for (recovery of) doubtful accounts										(98)	1,607
Provisions for impairment											80,924
Depreciation and amortization										16,341	16,313
Interest income										(125)	(170)
Interest expense										10,586	16,515
Early extinguishment of debt										11,305
Total expenses										113,822	161,679
REP EBT										4,789	(70,158)
Consolidated Properties | Strategic Developments
Segments reporting
Minimum rents										917	1,015
Tenant recoveries										130	347
Condominium unit sales										22,067	1,139
Other rental and property revenues										1,746	182
Total revenues										24,860	2,683
Condominium unit cost of sales										14,465	1,000
Condominium sales operations										1,401	252
Rental property real estate taxes										604	3,756
Rental property maintenance costs										671	684
Other property operating costs										4,027	5,925
Provision for (recovery of) doubtful accounts										(137)	175
Provisions for impairment											17,101
Depreciation and amortization										234	212
Interest expense										323	34
Total expenses										21,588	29,139
REP EBT										3,272	(26,456)
Real Estate Affiliates
Segments reporting
REP EBT										12,210	10,689
Real Estate Affiliates | Master Planned Communities
Segments reporting
Land sales										46,773	90,986
Builder price participation										1,108	2,777
Minimum rents										14	27
Other land revenues										3,924	8,827
Total revenues										51,819	102,617
Cost of sales - land										23,932	49,745
Land sales operations										7,432	20,829
Land sales real estate and business taxes										1,906
Depreciation and amortization										46	111
Interest income										(364)	(824)
Interest expense										2,132	7,857
Total expenses										35,084	77,718
Venture partner share of The Woodlands EBT										(7,949)	(11,827)
REP EBT										8,786	13,072
Real Estate Affiliates | Operating Assets
Segments reporting
Minimum rents										2,803	4,026
Tenant recoveries										1,061	1,484
Resort and conference center revenues										19,106	28,850
Other rental and property revenues										6,992	14,613
Total revenues										29,962	48,973
Rental property real estate taxes										972	2,185
Rental property maintenance costs										517	1,063
Resort and conference center operations										13,904	24,471
Other property operating costs										9,223	17,316
Provision for (recovery of) doubtful accounts										(9)	154
Depreciation and amortization										3,968	7,148
Interest income										(2)	2
Interest expense										2,316	836
Equity in Earnings from Real Estate Affiliates										(3,926)	338
Total expenses										26,963	53,513
Venture partner share of The Woodlands EBT										425	2,157
REP EBT										$ 3,424	$ (2,383)