Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Real estate assets:
Land	[1]	$ 866,890	$ 876,668
Buildings and improvements	[1]	7,159,509	7,287,862
Real estate investment property, at cost	[1]	8,026,399	8,164,530
Accumulated depreciation	[1]	(2,383,153)	(2,382,568)
Real estate investment property, net, before developments in progress	[1]	5,643,246	5,781,962
Held for sale	[1]	18,721	0
Developments in progress	[1]	87,576	75,991
Net investment in real estate assets	[1]	5,749,543	5,857,953
Cash and cash equivalents	[1]	25,031	36,892
Receivables:
Tenant, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,034 and $1,923 in 2016 and 2015, respectively	[1]	93,756	87,286
Other, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,275 and $1,276 in 2016 and 2015, respectively	[1]	13,842	17,958
Mortgage and other notes receivable	[1]	20,491	18,238
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	[1]	294,062	276,383
Intangible lease assets and other assets	[1]	187,203	185,281
Total assets	[1]	6,383,928	6,479,991
LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS AND EQUITY
Mortgage and other indebtedness, net		4,683,487	4,710,628
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		299,691	344,434
Total liabilities	[1]	$ 4,983,178	$ 5,055,062
Commitments and contingencies (Note 12)
Redeemable interests:
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		$ 20,854	$ 25,330
Preferred stock, $.01 par value, 15,000,000 shares authorized:
Common stock, $.01 par value, 350,000,000 shares authorized, 170,791,235 and 170,490,948 issued and outstanding in 2016 and 2015, respectively		1,708	1,705
Partners' capital:
Additional paid-in capital		1,969,888	1,970,333
Accumulated other comprehensive income		0	1,935
Dividends in excess of cumulative earnings		(705,438)	(689,028)
Total shareholders' equity		1,266,183	1,284,970
Noncontrolling interests		113,713	114,629
Total equity		1,379,896	1,399,599
Total Liabilities, Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests and Equity		6,383,928	6,479,991
Variable interest entities, assets		517,532
Variable interest entities, liabilities		435,213
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership
Real estate assets:
Land	[1]	866,890	876,668
Buildings and improvements	[1]	7,159,509	7,287,862
Real estate investment property, at cost	[1]	8,026,399	8,164,530
Accumulated depreciation	[1]	(2,383,153)	(2,382,568)
Real estate investment property, net, before developments in progress	[1]	5,643,246	5,781,962
Held for sale	[1]	18,721	0
Developments in progress	[1]	87,576	75,991
Net investment in real estate assets	[1]	5,749,543	5,857,953
Cash and cash equivalents	[1]	25,026	36,887
Receivables:
Tenant, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,034 and $1,923 in 2016 and 2015, respectively	[1]	93,756	87,286
Other, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,275 and $1,276 in 2016 and 2015, respectively	[1]	13,794	17,958
Mortgage and other notes receivable	[1]	20,491	18,238
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	[1]	294,596	276,946
Intangible lease assets and other assets	[1]	187,083	185,162
Total assets	[1]	6,384,289	6,480,430
LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS AND EQUITY
Mortgage and other indebtedness, net		4,683,487	4,710,628
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		299,416	344,434
Total liabilities	[1]	$ 4,982,903	$ 5,055,062
Commitments and contingencies (Note 12)
Redeemable interests:
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		$ 1,698	$ 5,586
Redeemable common units		19,156	19,744
Total redeemable interests		20,854	25,330
Partners' capital:
Preferred units		565,212	565,212
General partner		8,224	8,435
Limited partners		803,219	822,383
Accumulated other comprehensive income		0	(868)
Total partners' capital		1,376,655	1,395,162
Noncontrolling interests		3,877	4,876
Total capital		1,380,532	1,400,038
Total Liabilities, Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests and Equity		6,384,289	6,480,430
Variable interest entities, assets		517,532
Variable interest entities, liabilities		435,213
Series D Preferred Stock
Preferred stock, $.01 par value, 15,000,000 shares authorized:
Preferred Stock, Value, Outstanding		18	18
Series E Preferred Stock
Preferred stock, $.01 par value, 15,000,000 shares authorized:
Preferred Stock, Value, Outstanding		$ 7	$ 7

[1] As of March 31, 2016, include $517,532 of assets related to consolidated variable interest entities that can be used only to settle obligations of the consolidated variable interest entities and $435,213 of liabilities of consolidated variable interest entities for which creditors do not have recourse to the general credit of the Company. See Note 5.