Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Components of AOCI) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Realized gain on available-for-sale securities, reclassified	$ 0		$ (22,000)
CBL & Associates Properties Inc [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Realized gain on available-for-sale securities, reclassified		224,000
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), beginning balance	6,986,000
OCI before reclassifications	1,529,000	6,038,000
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(2,297,000)	(2,043,000)
Net year-to-date period OCI	(762,000)	3,974,000	(5,665,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), ending balance	6,325,000	6,986,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), Total	5,644,000	6,412,000	2,417,000
Net year-to-date period OCI, Total	(768,000)	3,995,000	(5,713,000)
Realized gain on available-for-sale securities, reclassified	0	224,000	(22,000)
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] | Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Hedging Agreements [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), beginning balance	373,000	377,000
OCI before reclassifications	14,000	(4,000)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	0	0
Net year-to-date period OCI	14,000	(4,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), ending balance	387,000	373,000
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] | Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Available-for-Sale Securities [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), beginning balance	353,000	328,000
OCI before reclassifications	(20,000)	23,000
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	0	2,000
Net year-to-date period OCI	(20,000)	25,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), ending balance	333,000	353,000
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] | The Company, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Hedging Agreements [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), beginning balance	(2,756,000)	(2,628,000)
OCI before reclassifications	3,839,000	2,139,000
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(2,297,000)	(2,267,000)
Net year-to-date period OCI	1,542,000	(128,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), ending balance	(1,214,000)	(2,756,000)
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] | The Company, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Available-for-Sale Securities [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), beginning balance	9,742,000	6,053,000
OCI before reclassifications	(2,203,000)	3,510,000
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	0	179,000
Net year-to-date period OCI	(2,203,000)	3,689,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), ending balance	7,539,000	9,742,000
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] | Noncontrolling Interests, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Hedging Agreements [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), beginning balance	(3,563,000)	(3,488,000)
OCI before reclassifications	259,000	(75,000)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	0	0
Net year-to-date period OCI	259,000	(75,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), ending balance	(3,304,000)	(3,563,000)
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] | Noncontrolling Interests, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Available-for-Sale Securities [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), beginning balance	2,263,000	1,775,000
OCI before reclassifications	(360,000)	445,000
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	0	43,000
Net year-to-date period OCI	(360,000)	488,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), ending balance	1,903,000	2,263,000
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), beginning balance	5,685,000
OCI before reclassifications	1,529,000	6,038,000
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(2,297,000)	(2,043,000)
Net year-to-date period OCI	(762,000)	3,974,000	(5,665,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), ending balance	4,923,000	5,685,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), Total	5,644,000	6,412,000	2,417,000
Net year-to-date period OCI, Total	(768,000)	3,995,000	(5,713,000)
Realized gain on available-for-sale securities, reclassified	0	224,000	(22,000)
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] | Redeemable Common Units, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Hedging Agreements [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), beginning balance	373,000	377,000
OCI before reclassifications	14,000	(4,000)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	0	0
Net year-to-date period OCI	14,000	(4,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), ending balance	387,000	373,000
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] | Redeemable Common Units, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Available-for-Sale Securities [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), beginning balance	353,000	328,000
OCI before reclassifications	(20,000)	23,000
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	0	2,000
Net year-to-date period OCI	(20,000)	25,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), ending balance	333,000	353,000
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] | Partners' Capital, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Hedging Agreements [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), beginning balance	(6,319,000)	(6,116,000)
OCI before reclassifications	4,098,000	2,064,000
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(2,297,000)	(2,267,000)
Net year-to-date period OCI	1,801,000	(203,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), ending balance	(4,518,000)	(6,319,000)
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] | Partners' Capital, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Available-for-Sale Securities [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), beginning balance	12,005,000	7,828,000
OCI before reclassifications	(2,563,000)	3,955,000
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	0	222,000
Net year-to-date period OCI	(2,563,000)	4,177,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), ending balance	9,442,000	12,005,000
CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] | The Company, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Hedging Agreements [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Roll Forward]
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	$ (2,297,000)	$ (2,267,000)