Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Beginning Balance	$ (434)	$ 13,969
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements	877	883
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities	0	242
OCI before reclassifications, Total	877	1,125
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements	(443)	(523)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities		16,560
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Total	(443)	(17,083)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	434	(15,958)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Ending Balance	0	(1,989)
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests/Redeemable Common Units
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Beginning Balance	433	401
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Beginning Balance		384
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements	3	3
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities		10
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements	(436)	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities		(394)
Net OCI, Hedging Agreements	(433)	3
Net OCI, Available-for-Sale Securities		(384)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Ending Balance	0	404
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Ending Balance		0
The Company/Partners' Capital
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Beginning Balance	1,935	303
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Beginning Balance		13,108
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements	814	827
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities		160
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements	(2,749)	(523)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities		(13,268)
Net OCI, Hedging Agreements	(1,935)	304
Net OCI, Available-for-Sale Securities		(13,108)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Ending Balance	0	607
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Ending Balance		0
Noncontrolling Interests
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Beginning Balance	(2,802)	(3,053)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Beginning Balance		2,826
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements	60	53
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities		72
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements	2,742	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities		(2,898)
Net OCI, Hedging Agreements	2,802	53
Net OCI, Available-for-Sale Securities		(2,826)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Ending Balance	0	(3,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Ending Balance		0
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Beginning Balance	(434)	13,969
OCI before reclassifications, Total	877	1,125
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements	(443)	(523)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities		16,560
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Total	(443)	(17,083)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	434	(15,958)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Ending Balance	0	(1,989)
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership | Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests/Redeemable Common Units
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Beginning Balance	434	401
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Beginning Balance		384
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements	3	3
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities		10
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements	(437)	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities		(394)
Net OCI, Hedging Agreements	(434)	3
Net OCI, Available-for-Sale Securities		(384)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Ending Balance	0	404
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Ending Balance		0
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership | The Company/Partners' Capital
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Beginning Balance	(868)	(2,750)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Beginning Balance		15,934
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements	874	880
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities		232
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements	(6)	(523)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities		(16,166)
Net OCI, Hedging Agreements	868	357
Net OCI, Available-for-Sale Securities		(15,934)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Ending Balance	$ 0	(2,393)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Ending Balance		$ 0