New Valley LLC (Combined Financial Statements for Unconsolidated Subsidiaries) (Details) - New Valley LLC - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Condominium and Mixed Use Development
Income Statement
Revenues	$ 208,481	$ 365,890	$ 176,306
Costs of goods sold	76,162	71,623	93,766
Other expenses	132,931	44,211	47,590
Income from continuing operations	(612)	250,056	34,950
Balance Sheets
Investment in real estate	3,569,915	2,541,994
Total assets	3,628,402	2,701,652
Total debt	2,593,606	1,798,296
Total liabilities	2,896,607	2,036,431
Non-controlling interest	69,787	150,897
Apartment & Office Buildings
Income Statement
Revenues	70,862	44,366	66,588
Other expenses	67,094	105,899	64,431
Income from continuing operations	3,768	(61,533)	2,157
Balance Sheets
Investment in real estate	545,400	558,268
Total assets	562,879	574,664
Total debt	402,526	412,447
Total liabilities	410,723	420,164
Non-controlling interest	114,193	115,952
Hotels
Income Statement
Revenues	147,446	171,949	75,862
Costs of goods sold	5,399	4,522	4,035
Other expenses	220,045	268,007	112,124
Income from continuing operations	(77,998)	(100,580)	(40,297)
Balance Sheets
Investment in real estate	1,017,810	1,019,133
Total assets	1,133,697	1,126,598
Total debt	778,194	696,200
Total liabilities	816,118	736,101
Non-controlling interest	284,298	348,451
Commercial
Income Statement
Revenues	31,980	56,773	6,636
Other expenses	7,724	11,647	3,294
Income from continuing operations	24,256	45,126	3,342
Balance Sheets
Investment in real estate	52,384	53,193
Total assets	70,169	70,395
Total debt	55,625	55,625
Total liabilities	54,342	54,645
Other
Income Statement
Revenues	4,008	4,823	3,442
Other expenses	13,515	6,382	5,069
Income from continuing operations	(9,507)	(1,559)	(1,627)
Balance Sheets
Investment in real estate	1,054,134	710,549
Total assets	1,192,149	1,152,124
Total debt	671,845	658,592
Total liabilities	850,587	665,463
Non-controlling interest	263,438	392,933
10 Madison Square West
Income Statement
Revenues	281	28,539	197,157
Costs of goods sold	0	24,250	116,120
Other expenses	8,877	(4,236)	11,649
Income from continuing operations	(8,596)	8,525	69,388
Balance Sheets
Investment in real estate	4,989	2,369
Total assets	15,186	15,071
Total debt	3,275	3,319
Total liabilities	3,575	3,616
Non-controlling interest	10,228	10,091
1 QPS Tower
Income Statement
Revenues	386,470	14,625	4,216
Costs of goods sold	220,316	0	0
Other expenses	141,742	26,357	18,508
Income from continuing operations	24,412	(11,732)	(14,292)
Balance Sheets
Investment in real estate	0	215,956
Total assets	0	220,350
Total debt	0	209,602
Total liabilities	0	212,640
Greenwich
Income Statement
Revenues	5	28	(768)
Other expenses	6,658	146,286	2,696
Income from continuing operations	(6,653)	(146,258)	$ (3,464)
Balance Sheets
Investment in real estate	504,221	403,815
Total assets	512,038	419,518
Total debt	460,124	408,779
Total liabilities	544,687	445,514
Non-controlling interest	$ (23,942)	$ (19,064)