SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Components of AOCI) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
OCI before reclassifications	$ 877	$ 4,353	$ 10,520
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(443)	(18,756)	(2,195)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	434	(14,403)	8,325
Realized gain on available-for-sale securities, reclassified		16,560
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests/Common Units, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Hedging Agreements
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance, shareholders' equity	433	401	387
OCI before reclassifications	3	32	14
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(436)	0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(433)	32	14
Ending balance, shareholders' equity	0	433	401
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests/Common Units, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Available-for-Sale Securities
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance, shareholders' equity	0	384	333
OCI before reclassifications	0	10	51
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	0	(394)	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	0	(384)	51
Ending balance, shareholders' equity	0	0	384
The Company/Partner's Capital, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Hedging Agreements
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance, shareholders' equity	1,935	303	(1,214)
OCI before reclassifications	814	3,828	3,712
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(2,749)	(2,196)	(2,195)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(1,935)	1,632	1,517
Ending balance, shareholders' equity	0	1,935	303
Interest on cash flow hedges reclassified to interest expense	(443)	(2,196)	(2,195)
The Company/Partner's Capital, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Available-for-Sale Securities
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance, shareholders' equity	0	13,108	7,539
OCI before reclassifications	0	160	5,569
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	0	(13,268)	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	0	(13,108)	5,569
Ending balance, shareholders' equity	0	0	13,108
Noncontrolling Interests, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Hedging Agreements
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance, shareholders' equity	(2,802)	(3,053)	(3,304)
OCI before reclassifications	60	251	251
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	2,742	0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	2,802	251	251
Ending balance, shareholders' equity	0	(2,802)	(3,053)
Noncontrolling Interests, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Available-for-Sale Securities
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance, shareholders' equity	0	2,826	1,903
OCI before reclassifications	0	72	923
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	0	(2,898)	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	0	(2,826)	923
Ending balance, shareholders' equity	0	0	2,826
AOCI Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance, shareholders' equity	(434)	13,969	5,644
Ending balance, shareholders' equity	0	(434)	13,969
CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
OCI before reclassifications	877	4,353	10,520
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(443)	(18,756)	(2,195)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	434	(14,403)	8,325
Realized gain on available-for-sale securities, reclassified		16,560
CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] | Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests/Common Units, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Hedging Agreements
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance, shareholders' equity	434	401	387
OCI before reclassifications	3	33	14
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(437)	0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(434)	33	14
Ending balance, shareholders' equity	0	434	401
CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] | Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests/Common Units, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Available-for-Sale Securities
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance, shareholders' equity	0	384	333
OCI before reclassifications	0	10	51
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	0	(394)	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	0	(384)	51
Ending balance, shareholders' equity	0	0	384
CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] | The Company/Partner's Capital, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Hedging Agreements
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance, shareholders' equity	(868)	(2,750)	(4,518)
OCI before reclassifications	874	4,078	3,963
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(6)	(2,196)	(2,195)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	868	1,882	1,768
Ending balance, shareholders' equity	0	(868)	(2,750)
Interest on cash flow hedges reclassified to interest expense	(443)	(2,196)	(2,195)
CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] | The Company/Partner's Capital, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Available-for-Sale Securities
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance, shareholders' equity	0	15,934	9,442
OCI before reclassifications		232	6,492
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		(16,166)	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	0	(15,934)	6,492
Ending balance, shareholders' equity	0	0	15,934
CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] | AOCI Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance, shareholders' equity	(434)	13,969	5,644
Ending balance, shareholders' equity	$ 0	$ (434)	$ 13,969