EQUITY AND REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	May 31, 2012	Feb. 29, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011 RPI	Jun. 30, 2012 Series B	Jun. 30, 2012 Series D	Jun. 30, 2012 Series E	Jun. 30, 2012 Series C
EQUITY AND REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS
Conversion rate of common stock (in dollars per share)			$ 1.0397624		$ 1.0397624		$ 1.0397624
Estimated payments for repurchase of redeemable noncontrolling interest			$ 123,100,000		$ 123,100,000
Conversion ratio for convertible common units to common stock					1
Unit Conversions Disclosures
Number of Common Units for each Preferred unit									3.000	1.508	1.298	1.000
Number of Contractual Convertible Preferred Units Outstanding									1,279,715	532,750	502,658	20,000
Converted Basis to Common Units Outstanding									3,991,799	803,498	652,633	20,000
Conversion Price (in dollars per share)									$ 16.6667	$ 33.1519	$ 38.5100	$ 250.0000
Redemption Value			128,982,013		128,982,013				72,211,647	26,637,477	25,132,889	5,000,000
GGP stock price per share			$ 18.09		$ 18.09		$ 15.02		$ 18.09
Activity of redeemable noncontrolling interests
Balance at the beginning of the period					223,795,000	232,364,000
Net loss					(2,150,000)	(1,424,000)
Distributions					(1,372,000)	(1,378,000)
Cash redemption of operating partnership units						(4,202,000)
Dividend for RPI Spin Off					3,137,000
Other comprehensive income					(238,000)	310,000
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest in operating partnership					28,955,000	10,085,000
Balance at the end of the period			252,127,000	235,755,000	252,127,000	235,755,000
Common Stock Dividend and Purchase of Common Stock
Dividends declared per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.10	$ 0.10	$ 0.10	$ 0.10	$ 0.20	$ 0.20
Number of shares to be received by entity's shareholders as a result of spin-off								0.0375
Distribution payable and decrease in retained earnings (accumulated deficit)			96,802,000		96,802,000		526,332,000
Distribution payable and decrease in retained earnings (accumulated deficit) related to special dividend							426,700,000
Adjustment to retained earnings (accumulated deficit)					$ 26,000,000
Number of shares issued due to DRIP elections for dividends declared					2,582,327