Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Statements of Operations (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 272,783	[1]	$ 288,995	[1]	$ 806,983	[1]	$ 840,553	[1]
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold	203,749	[1]	227,863	[1]	615,682	[1]	664,113	[1]
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	25,841		23,277		73,734		69,142
Litigation judgment expense							0
Management fee expense	0		0		0		0
Operating (loss) income	43,193		37,855		117,567		107,298
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(25,906)		(25,421)		(78,667)		(75,431)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	6,040		4,386		(21,020)		13,248
Acceleration of interest expense related to debt conversion	(7,072)		0		(14,960)		(1,217)
Gain on investment securities for sale	1,640		6,017		1,640		20,558
Gain on liquidation of long-term investments	0		2,221		0		25,832
Gain on sales of townhomes	0		10		0		3,722
Equity income in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0		0		0
Management fee income	0		0		0		0
Other, net	341		135		856		351
Income before provision for income taxes	31,234		30,000		25,180		110,868
Income tax benefit (expense)	(13,302)		(12,451)		(11,043)		(43,645)
Net income	17,932		17,549		14,137		67,223
Comprehensive income	18,291		14,639		7,395		57,603
Estate [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	12,874		6,496		20,969		17,597
Equity income (loss) on long-term investments	12,874		6,496		20,969		17,597
Long Term Investment [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	124		(1,699)		(1,205)		(1,090)
Equity income (loss) on long-term investments	124		(1,699)		(1,205)		(1,090)
Parent/Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0		0		0		0
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold	0		0		0		0
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	5,585		5,693		17,069		17,451
Litigation judgment expense							0
Management fee expense	0		0		0		0
Operating (loss) income	(5,585)		(5,693)		(17,069)		(17,451)
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(24,903)		(24,265)		(75,309)		(73,515)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	6,040		4,386		(21,020)		13,248
Acceleration of interest expense related to debt conversion	(7,072)				(14,960)		(1,217)
Gain on investment securities for sale	0		0		0		0
Gain on liquidation of long-term investments			2,221				25,832
Gain on sales of townhomes			0				0
Equity income in consolidated subsidiaries	36,173		30,119		89,715		97,274
Management fee income	2,291		2,209		6,872		6,626
Other, net	340		121		701		315
Income before provision for income taxes	7,408		7,399		(32,275)		50,022
Income tax benefit (expense)	10,524		10,150		46,412		17,201
Net income	17,932		17,549		14,137		67,223
Comprehensive income	18,291		14,639		7,395		57,603
Parent/Issuer [Member] | Estate [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	0		0		0		0
Equity income (loss) on long-term investments	0		0		0		0
Parent/Issuer [Member] | Long Term Investment [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	124		(1,699)		(1,205)		(1,090)
Equity income (loss) on long-term investments	124		(1,699)		(1,205)		(1,090)
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	272,783		288,995		806,983		840,553
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold	203,749		227,863		615,682		664,113
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	19,238		16,637		55,861		50,414
Litigation judgment expense							0
Management fee expense	2,291		2,209		6,872		6,626
Operating (loss) income	47,505		42,286		128,568		119,400
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(998)		(1,148)		(3,340)		(1,891)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0		0		0		0
Acceleration of interest expense related to debt conversion	0				0		0
Gain on investment securities for sale	1,640		6,017		1,640		20,558
Gain on liquidation of long-term investments			0				0
Gain on sales of townhomes			0				0
Equity income in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0		0		0
Management fee income	0		0		0		0
Other, net	0		14		19		36
Income before provision for income taxes	48,147		47,169		126,887		138,103
Income tax benefit (expense)	(19,014)		(19,894)		(49,220)		(52,354)
Net income	29,133		27,275		77,667		85,749
Comprehensive income	36,330		32,675		84,679		82,906
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member] | Estate [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	0		0		0		0
Equity income (loss) on long-term investments	0		0		0		0
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member] | Long Term Investment [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	0		0		0		0
Equity income (loss) on long-term investments	0		0		0		0
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0		0		0		0
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold	0		0		0		0
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	1,018		947		804		1,277
Management fee expense	0		0		0		0
Operating (loss) income	(1,018)		(947)		(804)		(1,277)
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(5)		(8)		(18)		(25)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0		0		0		0
Acceleration of interest expense related to debt conversion	0				0		0
Gain on investment securities for sale	0		0		0		0
Gain on liquidation of long-term investments			0				0
Gain on sales of townhomes			10				3,722
Equity income in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0		0		0
Management fee income	0		0		0		0
Other, net	1		0		136		0
Income before provision for income taxes	11,852		5,551		20,283		20,017
Income tax benefit (expense)	(4,812)		(2,707)		(8,235)		(8,492)
Net income	7,040		2,844		12,048		11,525
Comprehensive income	7,040		2,844		12,048		11,525
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors [Member] | Estate [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	12,874		6,496		20,969		17,597
Equity income (loss) on long-term investments	12,874		6,496		20,969		17,597
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors [Member] | Long Term Investment [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	0		0		0		0
Equity income (loss) on long-term investments	0		0		0		0
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0		0		0		0
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold	0		0		0		0
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	0		0		0		0
Management fee expense	(2,291)		(2,209)		(6,872)		(6,626)
Operating (loss) income	2,291		2,209		6,872		6,626
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	0		0		0		0
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0		0		0		0
Acceleration of interest expense related to debt conversion	0				0		0
Gain on investment securities for sale	0		0		0		0
Gain on liquidation of long-term investments			0				0
Gain on sales of townhomes			0				0
Equity income in consolidated subsidiaries	(36,173)		(30,119)		(89,715)		(97,274)
Management fee income	(2,291)		(2,209)		(6,872)		(6,626)
Other, net	0		0		0		0
Income before provision for income taxes	(36,173)		(30,119)		(89,715)		(97,274)
Income tax benefit (expense)	0		0		0		0
Net income	(36,173)		(30,119)		(89,715)		(97,274)
Comprehensive income	(43,370)		(35,519)		(96,727)		(94,431)
Consolidating Adjustments [Member] | Estate [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	0		0		0		0
Equity income (loss) on long-term investments	0		0		0		0
Consolidating Adjustments [Member] | Long Term Investment [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	0		0		0		0
Equity income (loss) on long-term investments	$ 0		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0

[1] Revenues and Cost of goods sold include excise taxes of $126,389, $141,473, $379,281 and $412,041, respectively.