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	Dividends in Excess of Cumulative Earnings Preferred Units	Total Shareholders' Equity	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	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
Beginning Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Dec. 31, 2014		$ 37,559																	$ 6,455	$ 31,104	$ 37,559
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income		1,111																	782	329	1,111
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ (15,576)	(382)				$ (12,804)			$ (12,804)	$ (2,772)	$ (15,576)					$ (15,576)	$ (15,576)			(382)	(382)
Dividends declared - common stock/units	(45,180)						$ (45,180)		(45,180)		(53,341)			$ (533)	$ (52,808)		(53,341)			(1,126)	(1,126)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(9,276)	(1,640)								(9,276)	(1,115)							$ (1,115)	(514)		(514)
Allocation of partners' capital											(764)			(37)	(727)		(764)			674	674
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(674)	674			$ (1,398)				(1,398)	724
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	(147)	146			(47)				(47)	(100)	(146)			(2)	(144)		(146)		(566)	712	146
Ending Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Mar. 31, 2015		37,468																	6,157	31,311	37,468
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	52,094						46,164		46,164	5,930	52,094	11,223		419	40,365		52,007	87
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(15,576)	(382)				(12,804)			(12,804)	(2,772)	(15,576)					(15,576)	(15,576)			(382)	(382)
Performance stock units	156				156				156		156			2	154		156
Redemption of redeemable noncontrolling preferred joint venture interest	(286)									(286)
Dividends/Distributions declared - common stock/units	(45,180)						(45,180)		(45,180)		(53,341)			(533)	(52,808)		(53,341)			(1,126)	(1,126)
Dividends/Distributions declared - preferred stock/units	$ (11,223)							$ (11,223)	(11,223)		(11,223)	$ (11,223)					(11,223)
Issuances of common units (in units)	269,929												270,000
Issuances of common units											541				541		541
Issuance of common stock and restricted common stock	$ 541			2	539				541
Redemption of common units, units													(15,000)
Redemptions of common units											(285)				(285)		(285)
Cancellation of restricted common stock, units	(37,217)												(37,000)
Cancellation of restricted common stock	$ (725)				(725)				(725)		(725)				(725)		(725)
Amortization of deferred compensation	1,847				1,847				1,847		1,847			19	1,828		1,847
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	(37)									(37)	(37)							(37)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(9,276)	(1,640)								(9,276)	(1,115)							(1,115)	(514)		(514)
Allocation of partners' capital											(764)			(37)	(727)		(764)			674	674
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(674)	674			(1,398)				(1,398)	724
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	(147)	146			(47)				(47)	(100)	(146)			(2)	(144)		(146)		(566)	712	146
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2015	1,521,442		25	1,705	1,958,570	607	(577,024)		1,383,883	137,559
Ending balance, units at Mar. 31, 2015												25,050,000	199,750,000
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2015											1,521,867	$ 565,212		9,657	941,548	(2,393)	1,514,024	7,843
Beginning Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Dec. 31, 2015		25,330									19,744								5,586	19,744	25,330
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income		(3,225)																	(3,489)	264	(3,225)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	431	3				371			371	60	431					431	431			3	3
Dividends declared - common stock/units	(45,261)						(45,261)		(45,261)		(53,428)			(533)	(52,895)		(53,428)			(1,143)	(1,143)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(9,528)	(2,134)								(9,528)	(1,361)							(1,361)	(991)		(991)
Allocation of partners' capital											(90)			(31)	(496)		(90)			288	288
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(287)	288			(1,490)				(3,796)	3,509
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	(592)	592			(592)				(592)		(592)			(6)	(586)		(592)		592		592
Ending Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Mar. 31, 2016		20,854									19,156								1,698	19,156	20,854
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	1,399,599		25	1,705	1,970,333	1,935	(689,028)		1,284,970	114,629
Beginning balance, units at Dec. 31, 2015												25,050,000	199,748,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2015											1,400,038	$ 565,212		8,435	822,383	(868)	1,395,162	4,876
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income	45,117						40,074		40,074	5,043	45,117	11,223		344	33,188		44,755	362
Other comprehensive income (loss)	431	3				371			371	60	431					431	431			3	3
Performance stock units	258				258				258		258			3	255		258
Dividends/Distributions declared - common stock/units	(45,261)						(45,261)		(45,261)		(53,428)			(533)	(52,895)		(53,428)			(1,143)	(1,143)
Dividends/Distributions declared - preferred stock/units	$ (11,223)						(11,223)		(11,223)		(11,223)	$ (11,223)					(11,223)
Issuances of common units (in units)	323,353												323,000
Issuances of common units											342				342		342
Issuance of common stock and restricted common stock	$ 342			3	339				342
Cancellation of restricted common stock, units	(23,066)												(23,000)
Cancellation of restricted common stock	$ (214)				(214)				(214)		(214)				(214)		(214)
Amortization of deferred compensation	1,254				1,254				1,254		1,254			12	1,242		1,254
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(9,528)	(2,134)								(9,528)	(1,361)							(1,361)	(991)		(991)
Allocation of partners' capital											(90)			(31)	(496)		(90)			$ 288	288
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(287)	288			(1,490)				(3,796)	3,509
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	(592)	$ 592			(592)				(592)		(592)			(6)	(586)		(592)		$ 592		$ 592
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2016	$ 1,379,896		$ 25	$ 1,708	$ 1,969,888	$ 0	$ (705,438)		$ 1,266,183	$ 113,713
Ending balance, units at Mar. 31, 2016												25,050,000	200,048,000
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2016											$ 1,380,532	$ 565,212		$ 8,224	$ 803,219	$ 0	$ 1,376,655	$ 3,877