Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Real estate assets:
Land	[1]	$ 851,977	$ 820,979
Buildings and improvements	[1]	6,964,175	6,942,452
Real estate investment property, at cost	[1]	7,816,152	7,763,431
Accumulated depreciation	[1]	(2,477,356)	(2,427,108)
Real estate investment property, net, before developments in progress	[1]	5,338,796	5,336,323
Held for sale	[1]	0	5,861
Developments in progress	[1]	185,228	178,355
Net investment in real estate assets	[1]	5,524,024	5,520,539
Cash and cash equivalents	[1]	27,553	18,951
Receivables:
Tenant, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,875 and $1,910 in 2017 and 2016, respectively	[1]	90,485	94,676
Other, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $838 in 2017 and 2016	[1]	11,519	6,227
Mortgage and other notes receivable	[1]	16,347	16,803
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	[1]	262,216	266,872
Intangible lease assets and other assets	[1]	194,005	180,572
Total assets	[1]	6,126,149	6,104,640
LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS AND EQUITY
Mortgage and other indebtedness, net		4,522,480	4,465,294
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		273,745	280,498
Total liabilities	[1]	4,796,225	4,745,792
Commitments and contingencies (Note 6 and Note 12)
Redeemable common units		15,472	17,996
Preferred stock, $.01 par value, 15,000,000 shares authorized:
Common stock, $.01 par value, 350,000,000 shares authorized, 171,093,900 and 170,792,645 issued and outstanding in 2017 and 2016, respectively		1,711	1,708
Partners' capital:
Additional paid-in capital		1,971,155	1,969,059
Dividends in excess of cumulative earnings		(764,524)	(742,078)
Total shareholders' equity		1,208,367	1,228,714
Noncontrolling interests		106,085	112,138
Total equity		1,314,452	1,340,852
Total Liabilities, Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests and Equity		6,126,149	6,104,640
Variable interest entities, assets		663,290
Variable interest entities, liabilities		444,033
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership
Real estate assets:
Land	[1]	851,977	820,979
Buildings and improvements	[1]	6,964,175	6,942,452
Real estate investment property, at cost	[1]	7,816,152	7,763,431
Accumulated depreciation	[1]	(2,477,356)	(2,427,108)
Real estate investment property, net, before developments in progress	[1]	5,338,796	5,336,323
Held for sale	[1]	0	5,861
Developments in progress	[1]	185,228	178,355
Net investment in real estate assets	[1]	5,524,024	5,520,539
Cash and cash equivalents	[1]	27,547	18,943
Receivables:
Tenant, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,875 and $1,910 in 2017 and 2016, respectively	[1]	90,485	94,676
Other, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $838 in 2017 and 2016	[1]	11,470	6,179
Mortgage and other notes receivable	[1]	16,347	16,803
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	[1]	262,748	267,405
Intangible lease assets and other assets	[1]	193,883	180,452
Total assets	[1]	6,126,504	6,104,997
LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS AND EQUITY
Mortgage and other indebtedness, net		4,522,480	4,465,294
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		273,807	280,528
Total liabilities	[1]	4,796,287	4,745,822
Commitments and contingencies (Note 6 and Note 12)
Redeemable common units		15,472	17,996
Partners' capital:
Preferred units		565,212	565,212
General partner		7,528	7,781
Limited partners		732,686	756,083
Total partners' capital		1,305,426	1,329,076
Noncontrolling interests		9,319	12,103
Total capital		1,314,745	1,341,179
Total Liabilities, Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests and Equity		6,126,504	6,104,997
Variable interest entities, assets		663,290
Variable interest entities, liabilities		444,033
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, 2017, includes $663,290 of assets related to consolidated variable interest entities that can be used only to settle obligations of the consolidated variable interest entities and $444,033 of liabilities of consolidated variable interest entities for which creditors do not have recourse to the general credit of the Company. See Note 5.