NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Real Estate, Receivables, Operating Costs and Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 years		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Real Estate and Water Assets:
Real estate held-for-sale	$ 6,545,921		$ 4,300,000
Real estate and water assets, net	333,840,000		355,570,000
Impairment loss on real estate and water assets	21,404,000		10,316,000		12,378,000
Notes and Other Receivables:
Notes and other receivables, minimum term (in years)	3
Notes and other receivables, maximum term (in years)	10
Installment notes interest rates, minimum	8.00%
Installment notes interest rates, maximum	10.00%
Provision for bad debts	1,864,000		501,000		807,000
Operating and Other Costs:
Foreign currency gain (loss)	320,000		3,200,000		(193,000)
Provision for Income Taxes:
Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets	43,666,000		3,615,000
Interest expense related to uncertain tax positions	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	(28,824,000)		9,483,000		19,260,000
Effective income tax rate	(184.00%)		48.00%		47.00%
Maximum
Provision for Income Taxes:
Likelihood uncertain tax percentage will be sustained	50.00%
Fish Springs Assets
Real Estate and Water Assets:
Fair value of Fish Springs asset	84,890,000
Real estate and water assets, net	101,100,000		36,946,000
Impairment loss on real estate and water assets	16,224,000	[1]	10,316,000	[2]	12,400,000
Real Estate Operations
Real Estate and Water Assets:
Estimated useful lives of real estate improvements, minimum	5
Estimated useful lives of real estate improvements, maximum	15
Impairment of real estate assets	5,180,000		0		0
Nevada Land and Resource Company
Notes and Other Receivables:
Provision for bad debts	$ 834,000

[1] As of December 31, 2011, the Company had a non-recurring fair value measurement for an intangible asset with a carrying amount of $101.1 million that was written down to its implied fair value of $84.9 million, resulting in an impairment charge of $16.2 million, which was included in earnings for December 31, 2011. The implied fair value was calculated using a discounted cash flow model that incorporated a wide range of assumptions including current asset pricing, price escalation, discount rates, absorption rates, and timing of sales, and costs. Given the continued dramatic and prolonged slow-down in housing starts and sales in the North Valleys of Reno, Nevada, and the recent decline in market prices for similar assets, the Company adjusted its assumptions and judgments in the model by reducing the price and lengthening the timing of absorption of water sales from the original projections.

[2] As of December 31, 2010, the Company had a non-recurring fair value measurement for an intangible asset with a carrying amount of $36.9 million that was written down to its implied fair value of $26.6 million, resulting in an impairment charge of $10.3 million, which was included in earnings for 2010. The implied fair value was estimated based on a discounted cash flow model that incorporates estimates and assumptions about recognition of revenues and costs for the intangible asset. See Note 4, Real Estate and Water Assets