INCOME TAXES (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013 item	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 Capital loss carryforward	Dec. 31, 2012 Head Acquisition LP [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Federal	Dec. 31, 2013 Federal AMT	Dec. 31, 2013 State	Dec. 31, 2013 GGP item	Dec. 31, 2012 GGP	Oct. 20, 2011 GGP item	May 06, 2011 GGP item	Dec. 31, 2013 GGP Maximum	Dec. 31, 2013 Victoria Ward, Limited
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes
Current		$ 1,218,000	$ 2,439,000	$ 936,000
Deferred taxes		8,352,000	4,448,000	(19,261,000)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes		9,570,000	6,887,000	(18,325,000)
Reconciliation of income tax expense computed by applying the Federal corporate tax rate to the provision for income taxes
Tax at statutory rate on earnings from continuing operations before income taxes		(22,477,000)	(42,490,000)	45,099,000
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance, net		(88,826,000)	(32,172,000)	(13,110,000)
State income taxes, net of Federal income tax benefit		1,562,000	1,328,000	2,243,000
Tax at statutory rate on REIT entity earnings not subject to Federal income taxes		(2,648,000)	(3,087,000)	1,204,000
Tax expense (benefit) from change in rates, prior period adjustments and other permanent differences		4,339,000	13,908,000	(20,829,000)
Record deferred tax liability on captive REIT and REIT land distribution		53,973,000
Non-deductible warrant liability (gain) loss		63,695,000	65,311,000	(35,859,000)
Non-taxable interest income		(363,000)	(2,863,000)	(2,990,000)
Uncertain tax position expense, excluding interest		(1,034,000)	1,765,000	364,000
Uncertain tax position interest, net of Federal income tax benefit		1,349,000	5,187,000	5,553,000
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes		9,570,000	6,887,000	(18,325,000)
Net operating loss carryforwards	48,971,000	48,971,000	31,643,000				94,715,000		254,533,000
Tax credit carryforwards - Federal AMT					16,397,000			2,045,000
Additional Disclosures
Gross deferred tax assets	336,635,000	336,635,000	410,451,000
Gross deferred tax liabilities	413,376,000	413,376,000	386,080,000
Valuation allowance	12,624,000	12,624,000	101,518,000
Deferred tax assets previously believed to have had only a remote possibility of realization recorded in the current period						76,400,000
Percentage of deferred tax asset realized on successful implementation of tax planning	90.00%
Tax effects of temporary differences and carry-forwards included in the net deferred tax liabilities
Operating and Strategic Development properties, primary differences in basis of assets and liabilities	201,993,000	201,993,000	291,845,000
Interest deduction carryforwards	85,671,000	85,671,000	86,963,000
Operating loss and tax credit carryforwards	48,971,000	48,971,000	31,643,000
Total deferred tax assets	336,635,000	336,635,000	410,451,000
Valuation allowance	(12,624,000)	(12,624,000)	(101,518,000)
Total net deferred tax assets	324,011,000	324,011,000	308,933,000
Property Associated with Master Planned Communities, primarily differences in the tax basis of land assets and treatment of interest and other costs	(137,930,000)	(137,930,000)
Operating and Strategic Development properties, primarily differences in basis of assets and liabilities	(48,007,000)	(48,007,000)	(172,914,000)
Deferred income	(227,439,000)	(227,439,000)	(213,166,000)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(413,376,000)	(413,376,000)	(386,080,000)
Net deferred tax liabilities	(89,365,000)	(89,365,000)	(77,147,000)
Reduction in the tax indemnity receivable		1,200,000	20,300,000	8,800,000
Number of consolidated entities elected to be taxed as a REIT		1
Percentage of tax rate at which book and tax basis differences believed to be realized															0.00%
Number of subsidiaries involved in dispute with IRS										2
Percentage of certain taxes indemnified by related party										93.75%
Amount of certain taxes indemnified by related party														303,800,000
Amount of combined deficiencies determined by the IRS sought to be overturned by the petition filed													144,100,000
Number of former taxable REIT subsidiaries subject to litigation for which motion is filed to consolidate cases												2	2
Unrecognized tax benefits that would impact effective tax rate	0	0	0	0
Unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest	90,532,000	90,532,000	95,917,000	101,408,000
Accrued interest related to unrecognized tax benefits	38,700,000	38,700,000
Interest expense related to unrecognized tax benefits		2,100,000	8,200,000	8,500,000
Unrecognized tax benefits
Unrecognized tax benefits, opening balance		95,917,000	101,408,000	120,816,000
Gross increases - tax positions in prior period		9,162,000	841,000
Gross decreases - tax positions in prior periods		(14,547,000)	(6,332,000)	(19,408,000)
Unrecognized tax benefits, ending balance	90,532,000	90,532,000	95,917,000	101,408,000
Amount of interest income receivable on the Tax Indemnity receivable										38,600,000	36,400,000
Unrecognized tax benefits, excluding accrued interest, which could significantly increase or decrease during the next twelve months	$ 90,500,000	$ 90,500,000