Interim Financial Statements	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract]
Interim Financial Statements	Interim Financial Statements General Taubman Centers, Inc. (the Company or TCO) is a Michigan corporation that operates as a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Taubman Realty Group Limited Partnership (the Operating Partnership or TRG) is a majority-owned partnership subsidiary of TCO that owns direct or indirect interests in all of the Company’s real estate properties. In this report, the term “Company" refers to TCO, the Operating Partnership, and/or the Operating Partnership's subsidiaries as the context may require. The Company engages in the ownership, management, leasing, acquisition, disposition, development, and expansion of regional and super-regional retail shopping centers and interests therein. The Company’s owned portfolio as of September 30, 2014 included 24 operating urban and suburban shopping centers in 12 states. In October 2014, the Company completed the sale of seven centers to an affiliate of Starwood Capital Group (Starwood) (Note 2). Subsequent to the sale, the Company no longer operates centers in North Carolina and Texas. Also in October 2014, The Mall at University Town Center opened in Sarasota, Florida (Note 2). Taubman Properties Asia LLC and its subsidiaries (Taubman Asia), which is the platform for the Company’s expansion into China and South Korea, is headquartered in Hong Kong. In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-08, "Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity." ASU No. 2014-08 changes the definition of a discontinued operation to include only those disposals of components of an entity that represent a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity's operations and financial results. ASU No. 2014-08 is effective prospectively for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2014, but can be early-adopted. The Company has early adopted ASU No. 2014-08 and will apply the revised definition to all disposals on a prospective basis. The unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related notes included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the financial statements for the interim periods have been made. The results of interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results for a full year. Dollar amounts presented in tables within the notes to the financial statements are stated in thousands, except share data or as otherwise noted. Consolidation The consolidated financial statements of the Company include all accounts of the Company, the Operating Partnership, and its consolidated subsidiaries, including The Taubman Company LLC (the Manager) and Taubman Asia. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated. The entities included in these consolidated financial statements are separate legal entities and maintain records and books of account separate from any other entity. However, inclusion of these separate entities in the consolidated financial statements does not mean that the assets and credit of each of these legal entities are available to satisfy the debts or other obligations of any other such legal entity included in the consolidated financial statements. Investments in entities not controlled but over which the Company may exercise significant influence (Unconsolidated Joint Ventures or UJVs) are accounted for under the equity method. The Company has evaluated its investments in the Unconsolidated Joint Ventures under guidance for determining whether an entity is a variable interest entity and has concluded that the ventures are not variable interest entities. Accordingly, the Company accounts for its interests in these entities under general accounting standards for investments in real estate ventures (including guidance for determining effective control of a limited partnership or similar entity). The Company’s partners or other owners in these Unconsolidated Joint Ventures have substantive participating rights including approval rights over annual operating budgets, capital spending, financing, admission of new partners/members, or sale of the properties and the Company has concluded that the equity method of accounting is appropriate for these interests. Specifically, the Company’s 79% and 50.1% investments in Westfarms and International Plaza, respectively, are through general partnerships in which the other general partners have approval rights over annual operating budgets, capital spending, refinancing, or sale of the property. Ownership In addition to the Company’s common stock, there were three classes of preferred stock outstanding (Series B, J, and K) as of September 30, 2014. Dividends on the 6.5% Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Series J Preferred Stock) and the 6.25% Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Series K Preferred Stock) are cumulative and are paid on the last day of each calendar quarter. The Company owns corresponding Series J and Series K Preferred Equity interests in the Operating Partnership that entitle the Company to income and distributions (in the form of guaranteed payments) in amounts equal to the dividends payable on the Company’s Series J and Series K Preferred Stock. See "Note 6 - Equity Transactions" for further details on the Series K Preferred Stock issuance in 2013. The Company also is obligated to issue to partners in the Operating Partnership other than the Company, upon subscription, one share of nonparticipating Series B Preferred Stock per each Operating Partnership unit. The Series B Preferred Stock entitles its holders to one vote per share on all matters submitted to the Company’s shareowners and votes together with the common stock on all matters as a single class. The holders of Series B Preferred Stock are not entitled to dividends or earnings. The Series B Preferred Stock is convertible into the Company’s common stock at a ratio of 14,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock for one share of common stock. Outstanding voting securities of the Company at September 30, 2014 consisted of 25,117,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock and 63,319,539 shares of common stock. The Operating Partnership At September 30, 2014, the Operating Partnership’s equity included two classes of preferred equity (Series J and K) and the net equity of the partnership unitholders. Net income and distributions of the Operating Partnership are allocable first to the preferred equity interests, and the remaining amounts to the general and limited partners in the Operating Partnership in accordance with their percentage ownership. The Series J and Series K Preferred Equity are owned by the Company and are eliminated in consolidation. The Company's ownership in the Operating Partnership at September 30, 2014 consisted of a 72% managing general partnership interest, as well as the Series J and Series K Preferred Equity interests. The Company's average ownership percentage in the Operating Partnership for both the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013 was 72%. At September 30, 2014, the Operating Partnership had 88,454,989 partnership units outstanding, of which the Company owned 63,319,539 units.

Interim Financial Statements

General

Taubman Centers, Inc. (the Company or TCO) is a Michigan corporation that operates as a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Taubman Realty Group Limited Partnership (the Operating Partnership or TRG) is a majority-owned partnership subsidiary of TCO that owns direct or indirect interests in all of the Company’s real estate properties. In this report, the term “Company" refers to TCO, the Operating Partnership, and/or the Operating Partnership's subsidiaries as the context may require. The Company engages in the ownership, management, leasing, acquisition, disposition, development, and expansion of regional and super-regional retail shopping centers and interests therein. The Company’s owned portfolio as of September 30, 2014 included 24 operating urban and suburban shopping centers in 12 states. In October 2014, the Company completed the sale of seven centers to an affiliate of Starwood Capital Group (Starwood) (Note 2). Subsequent to the sale, the Company no longer operates centers in North Carolina and Texas. Also in October 2014, The Mall at University Town Center opened in Sarasota, Florida (Note 2).

Taubman Properties Asia LLC and its subsidiaries (Taubman Asia), which is the platform for the Company’s expansion into China and South Korea, is headquartered in Hong Kong.

In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-08, "Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity." ASU No. 2014-08 changes the definition of a discontinued operation to include only those disposals of components of an entity that represent a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity's operations and financial results. ASU No. 2014-08 is effective prospectively for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2014, but can be early-adopted. The Company has early adopted ASU No. 2014-08 and will apply the revised definition to all disposals on a prospective basis.

The unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related notes included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the financial statements for the interim periods have been made. The results of interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results for a full year.

Dollar amounts presented in tables within the notes to the financial statements are stated in thousands, except share data or as otherwise noted.

Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements of the Company include all accounts of the Company, the Operating Partnership, and its consolidated subsidiaries, including The Taubman Company LLC (the Manager) and Taubman Asia. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated. The entities included in these consolidated financial statements are separate legal entities and maintain records and books of account separate from any other entity. However, inclusion of these separate entities in the consolidated financial statements does not mean that the assets and credit of each of these legal entities are available to satisfy the debts or other obligations of any other such legal entity included in the consolidated financial statements.

Investments in entities not controlled but over which the Company may exercise significant influence (Unconsolidated Joint Ventures or UJVs) are accounted for under the equity method. The Company has evaluated its investments in the Unconsolidated Joint Ventures under guidance for determining whether an entity is a variable interest entity and has concluded that the ventures are not variable interest entities. Accordingly, the Company accounts for its interests in these entities under general accounting standards for investments in real estate ventures (including guidance for determining effective control of a limited partnership or similar entity). The Company’s partners or other owners in these Unconsolidated Joint Ventures have substantive participating rights including approval rights over annual operating budgets, capital spending, financing, admission of new partners/members, or sale of the properties and the Company has concluded that the equity method of accounting is appropriate for these interests. Specifically, the Company’s 79% and 50.1% investments in Westfarms and International Plaza, respectively, are through general partnerships in which the other general partners have approval rights over annual operating budgets, capital spending, refinancing, or sale of the property.

Ownership

In addition to the Company’s common stock, there were three classes of preferred stock outstanding (Series B, J, and K) as of September 30, 2014. Dividends on the 6.5% Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Series J Preferred Stock) and the 6.25% Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Series K Preferred Stock) are cumulative and are paid on the last day of each calendar quarter. The Company owns corresponding Series J and Series K Preferred Equity interests in the Operating Partnership that entitle the Company to income and distributions (in the form of guaranteed payments) in amounts equal to the dividends payable on the Company’s Series J and Series K Preferred Stock. See "Note 6 - Equity Transactions" for further details on the Series K Preferred Stock issuance in 2013.

The Company also is obligated to issue to partners in the Operating Partnership other than the Company, upon subscription, one share of nonparticipating Series B Preferred Stock per each Operating Partnership unit. The Series B Preferred Stock entitles its holders to one vote per share on all matters submitted to the Company’s shareowners and votes together with the common stock on all matters as a single class. The holders of Series B Preferred Stock are not entitled to dividends or earnings. The Series B Preferred Stock is convertible into the Company’s common stock at a ratio of 14,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock for one share of common stock.

Outstanding voting securities of the Company at September 30, 2014 consisted of 25,117,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock and 63,319,539 shares of common stock.

The Operating Partnership

At September 30, 2014, the Operating Partnership’s equity included two classes of preferred equity (Series J and K) and the net equity of the partnership unitholders. Net income and distributions of the Operating Partnership are allocable first to the preferred equity interests, and the remaining amounts to the general and limited partners in the Operating Partnership in accordance with their percentage ownership. The Series J and Series K Preferred Equity are owned by the Company and are eliminated in consolidation.

The Company's ownership in the Operating Partnership at September 30, 2014 consisted of a 72% managing general partnership interest, as well as the Series J and Series K Preferred Equity interests. The Company's average ownership percentage in the Operating Partnership for both the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013 was 72%. At September 30, 2014, the Operating Partnership had 88,454,989 partnership units outstanding, of which the Company owned 63,319,539 units.