MORTGAGE AND OTHER NOTES RECEIVABLE - Summary (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Assignment of the partnership interest (as a percent)	100.00%
Mortgage and other notes receivable balance, fully collectible	$ 7,672	$ 8,945
Mortgage Receivable
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Mortgage and other notes receivable balance, fully collectible	4,884	5,418
Notes Receivable
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Mortgage and other notes receivable balance, fully collectible	$ 2,788	$ 3,527
Columbia Place Outparcel
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.00%	5.00%
Columbia Place Outparcel \| Mortgage Receivable
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Mortgage and other notes receivable balance, fully collectible	$ 283	$ 302
One Park Place
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.00%	5.00%
One Park Place \| Mortgage Receivable
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Mortgage and other notes receivable balance, fully collectible	$ 783	$ 1,010
Village Square
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.00%	4.00%
Village Square \| Mortgage Receivable
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Mortgage and other notes receivable balance, fully collectible	$ 1,308	$ 1,596
Other \| Minimum
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.07%	4.07%
Other \| Maximum
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Interest rate (as a percent)	9.50%	9.50%
Other \| Mortgage Receivable
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Mortgage and other notes receivable balance, fully collectible	$ 2,510	$ 2,510
ERMC
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.00%	4.00%
ERMC \| Notes Receivable
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Mortgage and other notes receivable balance, fully collectible	$ 2,183	$ 2,855
Woodstock land
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.00%	5.00%
Woodstock land \| Notes Receivable
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Mortgage and other notes receivable balance, fully collectible	$ 605	$ 672
The Promenade, D'Iberville, MS \| Mortgage Receivable
Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]
Mortgage and other notes receivable balance, fully collectible	$ 1,100

Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable [Line Items]

No definition available.

Name:	cbl_MortgageAndOtherNotesReceivableLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	cbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of assignment of the partnership interest in the real estate.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cbl_PercentageOfAssignmentOfPartnershipInterest
Namespace Prefix:	cbl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Interest rate of mortgage loan within investment in mortgage loan on real estate by entity with substantial portion of business acquiring and holding investment real estate or interest in real estate.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 12
-Paragraph Column B
-Subsection 29

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 310
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-29(Column B))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6589523&loc=d3e617274-123014

+ Details

Name:	srt_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	srt_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Net amount of the investment in a contractual right to receive money on demand or on fixed or determinable dates that is recognized as an asset in the creditor's statement of financial position. Examples include, but are not limited to, credit card receivables, notes receivable and receivables relating to lessor's rights to payments from leases other than operating leases that have been recorded as assets. Excludes trade accounts receivable with contractual maturity of one year or less and arose from the sale of goods or services.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NotesReceivableNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=us-gaap_MortgageReceivablesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=us-gaap_NotesReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=cbl_ColumbiaPlaceMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=cbl_OneParkPlaceMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=cbl_VillageSquareHoughtonLakeAndCadillacMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=cbl_OtherEntitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=cbl_ERMCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=cbl_WoodstockGaInvestmentsLlcMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=cbl_PromenadeAtDlbervilleMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: