Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Beginning Balance		$ (1,989)	$ (434)	$ 13,969
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements	$ 0	1,216	877	2,099
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities	0	0	0	242
OCI before reclassifications, Total		1,216	877	2,341
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements	0	(646)	(443)	(1,169)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities				16,560
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Total		(646)	(443)	(17,729)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	0	570	434	(15,388)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Ending Balance	0	(1,419)	0	(1,419)
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests/Redeemable Common Units
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Beginning Balance		404	433	401
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Beginning Balance				384
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements		6	3	9
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities				10
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements		0	(436)	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities				(394)
Net OCI, Hedging Agreements		6	(433)	9
Net OCI, Available-for-Sale Securities				(384)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Ending Balance	0	410	0	410
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Ending Balance		0		0
The Company/Partners' Capital
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Beginning Balance		607	1,935	303
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Beginning Balance				13,108
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements		1,148	814	1,975
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities				160
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements		(646)	(2,749)	(1,169)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities				(13,268)
Net OCI, Hedging Agreements		502	(1,935)	806
Net OCI, Available-for-Sale Securities				(13,108)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Ending Balance	0	1,109	0	1,109
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Ending Balance		0		0
Noncontrolling Interests
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Beginning Balance		(3,000)	(2,802)	(3,053)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Beginning Balance				2,826
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements		62	60	115
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities				72
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements		0	2,742	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities				(2,898)
Net OCI, Hedging Agreements		62	2,802	115
Net OCI, Available-for-Sale Securities				(2,826)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Ending Balance	0	(2,938)	0	(2,938)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Ending Balance		0		0
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Beginning Balance		(1,989)	(434)	13,969
OCI before reclassifications, Total		1,216	877	2,341
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements		(646)	(443)	(1,169)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities				16,560
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Total		(646)	(443)	(17,729)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)		570	434	(15,388)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Ending Balance	0	(1,419)	0	(1,419)
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		404	434	401
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Beginning Balance				384
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements		7	3	10
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities				10
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements		0	(437)	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities				(394)
Net OCI, Hedging Agreements		7	(434)	10
Net OCI, Available-for-Sale Securities				(384)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Ending Balance	0	411	0	411
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Ending Balance		0		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		(2,393)	(868)	(2,750)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Beginning Balance				15,934
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements		1,209	874	2,089
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities				232
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements		(646)	(6)	(1,169)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities				(16,166)
Net OCI, Hedging Agreements		563	868	920
Net OCI, Available-for-Sale Securities				(15,934)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Ending Balance	$ 0	(1,830)	$ 0	(1,830)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Ending Balance		$ 0		$ 0