Condensed Consolidated Statements of Equity/Capital (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Dividends in Excess of Cumulative Earnings	Total Shareholders' Equity/Partners' Capital	Noncontrolling Interests	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Preferred Units	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Common Units	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership General Partner	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Limited Partners	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Total Shareholders' Equity/Partners' Capital	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Noncontrolling Interests	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Redeemable Common Units	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests	Common Stock CBL & Associates Limited Partnership	Common Stock CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Common Units	Common Stock CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Limited Partners	Common Stock CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Total Shareholders' Equity/Partners' Capital
Beginning Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Dec. 31, 2013		$ 34,639																$ 5,883	$ 28,756	$ 34,639
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income		3,323																2,324	999	3,323
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ 7,551	60				$ 6,480		$ 6,480	$ 1,071	$ 7,551					$ 7,551	$ 7,551			60	60
Dividends declared - common stock/units	(125,144)						$ (125,144)	(125,144)		(148,186)			$ (1,479)	$ (146,707)		(148,186)			(3,411)	(3,411)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(26,997)	(7,083)							(26,997)	(3,955)							$ (3,955)	(3,672)		(3,672)
Allocation of partners' capital										(2,215)			(107)	(2,108)		(2,215)			2,193	2,193
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(2,193)	2,193			$ (6,865)			(6,865)	4,672
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	(1,711)	1,711			(1,696)			(1,696)	(15)	(1,711)			(18)	(1,693)		(1,711)		1,585	126	1,711
Ending Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Sep. 30, 2014		34,843																6,120	28,723	34,843
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	1,559,934		$ 25	$ 1,700	1,967,644	6,325	(570,781)	1,404,913	155,021
Beginning balance, units at Dec. 31, 2013											25,050,000	199,593,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2013										1,560,355	$ 565,212		9,866	961,175	4,923	1,541,176	19,179
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income	161,858						142,594	142,594	19,264	161,858	33,669		1,301	125,472		160,442	1,416
Other comprehensive income (loss)	7,551	60				6,480		6,480	1,071	7,551					7,551	7,551			60	60
Dividends/Distributions declared - common stock/units	(125,144)						(125,144)	(125,144)		(148,186)			(1,479)	(146,707)		(148,186)			(3,411)	(3,411)
Dividends/Distributions declared - preferred stock/units	$ (33,669)						(33,669)	(33,669)		(33,669)	$ (33,669)					(33,669)
Issuances of common units, units	243,648																					244,000
Issuances of common stock/units and restricted common stock	$ 639			3	636			639													$ 639		$ 639	$ 639
Redemption of common units, units												(171,000)
Redemption of common units	$ (4,609)								(4,609)
Redemptions of common units										(4,609)				(4,609)		(4,609)
Cancellation of restricted common stock, units	(31,123)											(31,000)
Cancellation of restricted common stock	$ (369)				(369)			(369)		(369)				(369)		(369)
Amortization of deferred compensation	2,837				2,837			2,837		2,837			29	2,808		2,837
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	938								938	938							938
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(26,997)	(7,083)							(26,997)	(3,955)							(3,955)	(3,672)		(3,672)
Allocation of partners' capital										(2,215)			(107)	(2,108)		(2,215)			2,193	2,193
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(2,193)	2,193			(6,865)			(6,865)	4,672
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	(1,711)	1,711			(1,696)			(1,696)	(15)	(1,711)			(18)	(1,693)		(1,711)		1,585	126	1,711
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2014	1,539,065		25	1,703	1,962,187	12,805	(587,000)	1,389,720	149,345
Ending balance, units at Sep. 30, 2014											25,050,000	199,635,000
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2014										1,539,464	$ 565,212		9,592	934,608	12,474	1,521,886	17,578
Beginning Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Dec. 31, 2014		37,559								31,104								6,455	31,104	37,559
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income		3,865																3,023	842	3,865
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(14,565)	(366)				(11,917)		(11,917)	(2,648)	(14,565)					(14,565)	(14,565)			(366)	(366)
Dividends declared - common stock/units	(135,542)						(135,542)	(135,542)		(160,044)			(1,600)	(158,444)		(160,044)			(3,429)	(3,429)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(28,856)	(5,486)							(28,856)	(4,354)							(4,354)	(2,057)		(2,057)
Allocation of partners' capital										(2,345)			(76)	(2,269)		(2,345)			2,258	2,258
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(2,256)	2,258			(1,338)			(1,338)	(918)
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	9,516	(9,515)			8,339			8,339	1,177	9,516			97	9,419		9,516		(1,097)	(8,418)	(9,515)
Ending Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Sep. 30, 2015		28,315								21,991								6,324	21,991	28,315
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	1,549,928		25	1,703	1,958,198	13,411	(566,785)	1,406,552	143,376
Beginning balance, units at Dec. 31, 2014											25,050,000	199,532,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2014										1,550,441	$ 565,212		9,789	953,349	13,183	1,541,533	8,908
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income	142,103						125,628	125,628	16,475	142,103			1,097	105,803		140,569	1,534
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(14,565)	(366)				(11,917)		(11,917)	(2,648)	(14,565)					(14,565)	(14,565)			(366)	(366)
Dividends/Distributions declared - common stock/units	(135,542)						(135,542)	(135,542)		(160,044)			(1,600)	(158,444)		(160,044)			(3,429)	(3,429)
Dividends/Distributions declared - preferred stock/units	$ (33,669)						(33,669)	(33,669)		(33,669)	$ (33,669)					(33,669)
Issuances of common units, units	275,359																					273,000
Issuances of common stock/units and restricted common stock	$ 639			3	636			639													$ 639		639	639
Redemption of common units, units												(55,000)
Redemption of common units	(286)								(286)
Redemptions of common units	$ (286)																						$ (286)	$ (286)
Cancellation of restricted common stock, units	(41,898)
Cancellation of restricted common stock	$ (741)			(1)	(740)			(741)		(741)				(741)		(741)
Performance stock units	468				468								5	463		468
Amortization of deferred compensation	3,384				3,384			3,384		3,384			35	3,349		3,384
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	607								607	607							607
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(28,856)	(5,486)							(28,856)	(4,354)							(4,354)	(2,057)		(2,057)
Allocation of partners' capital										(2,345)			(76)	(2,269)		(2,345)			2,258	2,258
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(2,256)	2,258			(1,338)			(1,338)	(918)
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	9,516	$ (9,515)			8,339			8,339	1,177	9,516			97	9,419		9,516		$ (1,097)	$ (8,418)	$ (9,515)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2015	$ 1,490,730		$ 25	$ 1,705	$ 1,968,947	$ 1,494	$ (610,368)	$ 1,361,803	$ 128,927
Ending balance, units at Sep. 30, 2015											25,050,000	199,750,000
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2015										$ 1,491,154	$ 565,212		$ 9,347	$ 911,282	$ (1,382)	$ 1,484,459	$ 6,695