Consolidated Statements of Equity (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Total USD ($)	Redeemable Noncontrolling Partnership Interests USD ($)	Preferred Stock USD ($)	Common Stock USD ($)	Additional Paid-in Capital USD ($)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income USD ($)	Dividends in Excess of Cumulative Earnings USD ($)	Total Shareholders' Equity USD ($)	Noncontrolling Interests USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Series E Preferred Stock [Member] USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Common Stock USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Preferred Units [Member] USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Preferred Units [Member] Series E Preferred Stock [Member] USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Common Units [Member]	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Common Units [Member] Common Stock	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] General Partner [Member] USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] General Partner [Member] Common Stock USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Limited Partners [Member] USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Limited Partners [Member] Common Stock USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Total Shareholders' Equity USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Total Shareholders' Equity Series E Preferred Stock [Member] USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Total Shareholders' Equity Common Stock USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Noncontrolling Interest [Member] USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Redeemable Partnership Interests [Member] USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Redeemable Common Units [Member] USD ($)	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Redeemable Noncontrolling Partnership Interests USD ($)
Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Dec. 31, 2011		$ 32,271																								$ 6,235	$ 26,036	$ 32,271
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2011										1,470,521			509,719				10,178		944,633		1,711	1,466,241			4,280
Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	1,470,391		23	1,484	1,657,927	3,425	(399,581)	1,263,278	207,113
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues											690,000					219,000
Net income	70,507						63,514	63,514	6,993	70,507			31,782				422		38,769			70,973			(466)
Other comprehensive income	1,216	10				962		962	254	1,216											1,216	1,216					10	10
Cost of preferred stock offering	(134)				(134)			(134)
Issuances of common stock and restricted common stock											(134)	369		(134)						369			(134)	369
Conversion of Operating Partnership common units to shares of common stock				103	48,174			48,277	(48,277)
Redemption of Operating Partnership common units	(9,836)								(9,836)			(9,836)								(9,836)				(9,836)
Redemption of common units, units																(627,000)
Dividends declared - common stock	(102,581)						(102,581)	(102,581)		(102,581)							(1,771)		(100,810)			(102,581)
Dividends declared - preferred stock	(31,782)						(31,782)	(31,782)		(31,782)												(31,782)
Issuance of common stock and restricted common stock	369			2	367			369
Cancellation of restricted common stock	(261)				(261)			(261)		(261)									(261)			(261)
Cancellation of common units, units															(22,000)
Exercises of stock options	4,434			2	4,432			4,434		4,434									4,434			4,434
Exercise of stock options, shares															244,000
Accrual under deferred compensation arrangements	44				44			44		44									44			44
Amortization of deferred compensation	1,957				1,957			1,957		1,957							21		1,936			1,957
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	5,559								5,559	5,559															5,559
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(25,716)	(6,221)							(25,716)	(25,716)									(24,638)			(24,638)			(1,078)	(2,678)	(3,543)	(6,221)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(2,379)	2,379			(5,929)			(5,929)	3,550
Allocation of partners' capital										(2,379)							335		(2,714)			(2,379)					2,379	2,379
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	(10,049)	10,049			(4,256)			(4,256)	(5,793)	(10,049)							(108)		(9,941)			(10,049)				542	9,507	10,049
Acquire controlling interest in shopping center properties	14,498								14,498	14,498															14,498
Redeemable Noncontrolling Partnership Interests
Net income		2,441																								2,117	324	2,441
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2012										1,386,367			509,585				9,077		841,985		2,927	1,363,574			22,793
Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Sep. 30, 2012		40,929																								6,216	34,713	40,929
Balance at Sep. 30, 2012	1,386,237		23	1,591	1,702,321	4,387	(470,430)	1,237,892	148,345
Ending balance, units at Sep. 30, 2012													23,000		190,194,000
Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Jun. 30, 2012
Dividends declared - preferred stock	(10,594)									(10,594)
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2012										1,386,367
Balance at Sep. 30, 2012	1,386,237		23
Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Dec. 31, 2012		40,248								33,835																6,413	33,835	40,248
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2012										1,521,660			565,212				9,904		877,363		5,685	1,458,164			63,496
Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	1,521,097		25	1,613	1,773,630	6,986	(453,561)	1,328,693	192,404
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues	8,419,298															8,635,000
Net income	84,475						76,361	76,361	8,114	84,475			33,669				523		49,369			83,561			914
Other comprehensive income	(598)	(4)				(520)		(520)	(78)	(598)											(598)	(598)					(4)	(4)
Redemption of redeemable noncontrolling preferred joint venture interest	10,000				10,000			10,000		10,000							105		9,895			10,000
Issuances of common stock and restricted common stock	209,531			86	209,445			209,531				209,531						0		209,531				209,531
Dividends declared - common stock	(115,870)						(115,870)	(115,870)		(115,870)							(1,388)		(114,482)			(115,870)
Dividends declared - preferred stock	(33,669)						(33,669)	(33,669)		(33,669)			(33,669)									(33,669)
Cancellation of restricted common stock	(711)				(711)			(711)		(711)									(711)			(711)
Cancellation of common units, units															(39,000)
Amortization of deferred compensation	2,287				2,287			2,287		2,287							24		2,263			2,287
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(22,889)	(4,980)							(22,889)	(22,834)							229		(21,639)			(21,868)			(966)	(1,551)	(3,429)	(4,980)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(3,747)	3,803			(32,135)			(32,135)	28,388
Allocation of partners' capital										(3,941)							1,710		(5,651)			(3,941)					3,803	3,803
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	5,079	(5,079)			4,551			4,551	528	5,079							53		5,026			5,079				(1,009)	(4,070)	(5,079)
Acquire controlling interest in shopping center properties	(41,444)								(41,444)	(41,444)															(41,444)
Redeemable Noncontrolling Partnership Interests
Net income		3,182																								2,780	402	3,182
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2013										1,613,965			565,212				10,702		1,010,964		5,087	1,591,965			22,000
Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Sep. 30, 2013		37,170								30,537																6,633	30,537	37,170
Balance at Sep. 30, 2013	1,613,541		25	1,699	1,967,067	6,466	(526,739)	1,448,518	165,023
Ending balance, units at Sep. 30, 2013													25,050,000		199,451,000
Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Jun. 30, 2013
Dividends declared - preferred stock	(11,223)									(11,223)
Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Sep. 30, 2013										30,537
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2013										1,613,965
Balance at Sep. 30, 2013	$ 1,613,541		$ 25