Mortgage and Other Indebtedness, Net - Summary (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate (as a percent)	5.23%	5.10%
Unamortized deferred financing costs	$ (20,071)
Total mortgage and other indebtedness, net	$ 3,922,212
Fixed Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate (as a percent)	5.38%	5.37%
Variable Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate (as a percent)	4.77%	4.21%
Non-recourse loans on operating properties \| Fixed Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate (as a percent)	5.34%	5.33%
Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized Discount	$ 2,461	$ 2,577
Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2023 \| Fixed Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate (as a percent)	5.25%	5.25%
Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized Discount	$ 45	$ 47
Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2024 \| Fixed Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate (as a percent)	4.60%	4.60%
Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized Discount	$ 8,158	$ 8,365
Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2026 \| Fixed Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate (as a percent)	5.95%	5.95%
Recourse loans on operating properties \| Variable Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate (as a percent)	5.11%	4.97%
Construction Loans \| Variable Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate (as a percent)	5.38%	5.25%
Secured line of credit \| Variable Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate (as a percent)	4.74%	0.00%
Unsecured lines of credit \| Variable Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate (as a percent)	0.00%	3.90%
Secured term loan \| Variable Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate (as a percent)	4.74%	0.00%
Unsecured term loans \| Variable Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate (as a percent)	0.00%	4.21%
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed rate debt, amount	$ 2,971,830	$ 3,147,108
Variable-rate debt	970,453	955,751
Total fixed-rate and variable-rate debt	3,942,283	4,102,859
Unamortized deferred financing costs	(20,071)	(15,963)
Liabilities related to assets held for sale	(23,662)	(43,716)
Total mortgage and other indebtedness, net	3,898,550	4,043,180
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. \| Non-recourse loans on operating properties
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed rate debt, amount	1,607,494	1,783,097
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. \| Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed rate debt, amount	447,539	447,423
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. \| Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed rate debt, amount	299,955	299,953
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. \| Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed rate debt, amount	616,842	616,635
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. \| Recourse loans on operating properties
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable-rate debt	68,063	68,607
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. \| Construction Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable-rate debt	12,390	8,172
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. \| Secured line of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable-rate debt	390,000	0
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. \| Unsecured lines of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable-rate debt	0	183,972
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. \| Secured term loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable-rate debt	500,000	0
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. \| Unsecured term loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable-rate debt	$ 0	$ 695,000

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