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New Valley LLC (Investment in Real Estate Ventures) (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Nov. 01, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) venture	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) venture	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		$ 159,569		$ 159,569				$ 141,105
Total contributions				36,269	$ 6,132
Distributions from real estate ventures				3,637	12,074
Distributions from investments in real estate ventures				30,934	37,819
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures		8,050	$ 294	12,002	(8,378)
Condominium and Mixed Use Development \| All other U.S. areas
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Impairment of long-term investments			2,113		8,467
New Valley LLC
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		159,569		159,569				141,105
Total contributions				36,269	6,132
Distributions				34,571	49,893
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures		8,050	294	12,002	(8,378)
Total maximum exposure to loss		191,623		191,623
Interest costs capitalized		1,703	2,246	4,706	6,549
New Valley LLC \| Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary \| 352 6th Avenue LLC
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership							37.00%
Investments in real estate ventures							$ 500
Total maximum exposure to loss		529		529
New Valley LLC \| Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary \| Meatpacking Plaza
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership						17.00%
Investments in real estate ventures						$ 10,018
Total maximum exposure to loss		10,487		10,487
New Valley LLC \| Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary \| 9 DeKalb
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership						5.50%
Investments in real estate ventures						$ 5,000
Total maximum exposure to loss		$ 5,234		$ 5,234
New Valley LLC \| Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary \| Park on Fifth (500 Alton Rd)
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		38.90%		38.90%
Investments in real estate ventures		$ 14,000		$ 14,000
Total maximum exposure to loss		$ 14,000		$ 14,000
New Valley LLC \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Number of real estate ventures \| venture		2		2
VIE's assets		$ 976		$ 976				1,387
New Valley LLC \| New York City SMSA \| Minimum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		3.10%		3.10%
New Valley LLC \| New York City SMSA \| Maximum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		49.50%		49.50%
New Valley LLC \| Condominium and Mixed Use Development
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		$ 133,312		$ 133,312				96,399
Total contributions				35,760	1,158
Distributions				4,659	38,860
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures		6,699	1,581	1,107	(2,856)
Total maximum exposure to loss		150,734		150,734
New Valley LLC \| Condominium and Mixed Use Development \| New York City SMSA
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		85,221		85,221				65,007
Total contributions				21,760	1,158
Distributions				3,380	38,860
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures		2,099	1,732	(1,127)	(1,880)
Impairment of long-term investments		4,445		8,311
Total maximum exposure to loss		90,143		90,143
New Valley LLC \| Condominium and Mixed Use Development \| All other U.S. areas
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		48,091		48,091				$ 31,392
Total contributions				14,000	0
Distributions				1,279	0
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures		4,600	(151)	2,234	(976)
Impairment of long-term investments			2,700		10,174
Total maximum exposure to loss		$ 60,591		$ 60,591
New Valley LLC \| Condominium and Mixed Use Development \| All other U.S. areas \| Monad Terrace
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		17.00%		17.00%				18.00%
New Valley LLC \| Condominium and Mixed Use Development \| All other U.S. areas \| Minimum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		15.00%		15.00%
New Valley LLC \| Condominium and Mixed Use Development \| All other U.S. areas \| Maximum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		48.50%		48.50%
New Valley LLC \| Apartment Buildings
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		$ 0		$ 0				$ 0
Total contributions				0	522
Distributions				79	295
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures		76	(1,111)	79	(4,408)
New Valley LLC \| Apartment Buildings \| New York City SMSA
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Total contributions				0	522
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures		0	(1,267)	0	(4,550)
New Valley LLC \| Apartment Buildings \| All other U.S. areas
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		0		0				0
Distributions				79	295
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures		$ 76	156	$ 79	142
New Valley LLC \| Apartment Buildings \| All other U.S. areas \| Minimum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		7.60%		7.60%
New Valley LLC \| Apartment Buildings \| All other U.S. areas \| Maximum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		16.30%		16.30%
New Valley LLC \| Hotels
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		$ 4,918		$ 4,918				18,116
Total contributions				172	167
Distributions				21,572	0
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures		332	(543)	8,202	(2,562)
Total maximum exposure to loss		4,918		4,918
New Valley LLC \| Hotels \| New York City SMSA
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		2,513		2,513				$ 15,782
Total contributions				172	167
Distributions				21,572	0
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures		(102)	(749)	8,132	(2,200)
Total maximum exposure to loss		$ 2,513		$ 2,513
New Valley LLC \| Hotels \| New York City SMSA \| Park Lane Hotel
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		1.00%		1.00%				5.20%
Distributions from real estate ventures				$ 20,788
Percent of interest in real estate venture sold				80.00%
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures				$ 10,328
New Valley LLC \| Hotels \| New York City SMSA \| Minimum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		1.00%		1.00%
New Valley LLC \| Hotels \| New York City SMSA \| Maximum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		18.40%		18.40%
New Valley LLC \| Hotels \| International
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		49.00%		49.00%
Investments in real estate ventures		$ 2,405		$ 2,405				$ 2,334
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures		434	206	70	(362)
Total maximum exposure to loss		2,405		2,405
New Valley LLC \| Commercial
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		9,436		9,436				8,920
Distributions				173	10,081
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures		(3)	45	631	799
Total maximum exposure to loss		$ 9,436		$ 9,436
New Valley LLC \| Commercial \| New York City SMSA
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		49.00%		49.00%
Investments in real estate ventures		$ 1,968		$ 1,968				1,867
Distributions				13	9
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures		(149)	(228)	114	(617)
Total maximum exposure to loss		$ 1,968		$ 1,968
New Valley LLC \| Commercial \| All other U.S. areas
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		1.60%		1.60%
Investments in real estate ventures		$ 7,468		$ 7,468				7,053
Distributions				160	10,072
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures		146	273	517	1,416
Total maximum exposure to loss		7,468		7,468
New Valley LLC \| Other
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		11,903		11,903				$ 17,670
Total contributions				337	4,285
Distributions				8,088	657
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures		946	$ 322	1,983	649
Total maximum exposure to loss		$ 26,535		$ 26,535
New Valley LLC \| Other \| Minimum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		15.00%		15.00%
New Valley LLC \| Other \| Maximum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership		50.00%		50.00%
Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Proceeds from commissions received				$ 15,394	$ 16,603
Subsequent Event \| Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC \| Innova Risk Management
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Distributions from real estate ventures	$ 8,732
Percent of interest in real estate venture sold	50.00%
Potential earn out	$ 1,000
Potential earn out term	2 years