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Long-Term Investments (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]      
Long-term investments at cost $ 37,128us-gaap_CostMethodInvestments   $ 32,239us-gaap_CostMethodInvestments
Investment partnership accounted for under the equity method 8,031us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments   8,053us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
Long-term investments 45,159vgr_CostMethodAndEquityMethodInvestments   40,292vgr_CostMethodAndEquityMethodInvestments
Equity income (loss) from real estate ventures 338us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 1,552us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments  
Carrying Value      
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]      
Long-term investments at cost 37,128us-gaap_CostMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
  32,239us-gaap_CostMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
Carrying Value | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring      
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]      
Long-term investments at cost 37,128us-gaap_CostMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
  32,239us-gaap_CostMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Fair Value      
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]      
Cost method investments, fair value disclosure 46,510us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
  39,147us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
Real estate partnership | Carrying Value | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring      
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]      
Long-term investments at cost 588us-gaap_CostMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfFairValueOfSeparateAccountsByMajorCategoryOfInvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentMember
  698us-gaap_CostMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfFairValueOfSeparateAccountsByMajorCategoryOfInvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentMember
Real estate partnership | Fair Value | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring      
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]      
Cost method investments, fair value disclosure 831us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfFairValueOfSeparateAccountsByMajorCategoryOfInvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentMember
  1,108us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfFairValueOfSeparateAccountsByMajorCategoryOfInvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentMember
Investment partnerships      
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]      
Investment partnership accounted for under the equity method 8,031us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesInvestmentMember
  8,053us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesInvestmentMember
Equity income (loss) from real estate ventures (37)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesInvestmentMember
906us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesInvestmentMember
 
Investment partnerships | Carrying Value | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring      
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]      
Long-term investments at cost 36,540us-gaap_CostMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesInvestmentMember
  31,541us-gaap_CostMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesInvestmentMember
Investment partnerships | Fair Value | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring      
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]      
Cost method investments, fair value disclosure $ 45,679us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesInvestmentMember
  $ 38,039us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesInvestmentMember