Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 110,370,000	$ 174,519,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
(Gain) loss on discontinued operations	(1,144,000)	(938,000)	1,000
Net realized (gain) loss on sale of available-for-sale securities	0		22,000
Change in deferred tax accounts	1,823,000	3,095,000	5,695,000
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	110,370,000	174,519,000	184,994,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	285,549,000	268,634,000	276,370,000
Amortization of deferred finance costs, debt premiums and discounts	4,783,000	7,896,000	10,239,000
Net amortization of intangible lease assets and liabilities	63,000	(1,263,000)	(906,000)
Gain on sales of real estate assets	(1,980,000)	(5,323,000)	(59,396,000)
(Gain) loss on discontinued operations	(1,144,000)	(938,000)	1,000
Write-off of development projects	334,000	(39,000)	94,000
Share-based compensation expense	2,725,000	3,740,000	1,783,000
Net realized (gain) loss on sale of available-for-sale securities	0	(224,000)	22,000
Write-down of mortgage and other notes receivable	0	0	1,900,000
Gain on investments	(2,400,000)	(45,072,000)	0
Loss on impairment from continuing operations	70,049,000	24,379,000	51,304,000
Loss on impairment from discontinued operations	5,234,000	26,461,000	7,425,000
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(11,616,000)	(8,313,000)	(6,138,000)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	15,995,000	17,074,000	9,586,000
Provision for doubtful accounts	1,816,000	1,523,000	1,743,000
Change in deferred tax accounts	1,824,000	3,095,000	(5,695,000)
Changes in:
Tenant and other receivables	(12,358,000)	(2,150,000)	(5,986,000)
Other assets	5,928,000	2,136,000	6,084,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(19,529,000)	15,645,000	875,000
Net cash provided by operating activities	464,751,000	481,515,000	441,836,000
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to real estate assets	(314,299,000)	(217,827,000)	(205,379,000)
Acquisitions of real estate assets	(41,444,000)	(96,099,000)	(11,500,000)
Additions to restricted cash	(7,592,000)	(1,063,000)	(14,719,000)
(Additions) reductions to cash held in escrow	15,000,000	(15,000,000)	0
Purchase of partners' interest in unconsolidated affiliates	0	(14,280,000)	0
Proceeds from sales of real estate assets	240,150,000	76,950,000	244,647,000
Proceeds from sales of investments in unconsolidated affiliates	4,875,000	0	0
Additions to mortgage and other notes receivable	(2,700,000)	(3,584,000)	(15,173,000)
Payments received on mortgage notes receivable	5,672,000	3,002,000	7,479,000
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale securities	11,002,000	0	0
Additional investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(34,063,000)	(8,809,000)	(35,499,000)
Distributions in excess of equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	11,310,000	43,173,000	17,907,000
Changes in other assets	(13,604,000)	(13,133,000)	(15,408,000)
Net cash used in investing activities	(125,693,000)	(246,670,000)	(27,645,000)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from mortgage and other indebtedness	2,298,116,000	1,869,140,000	1,933,770,000
Principal payments on mortgage and other indebtedness	(2,179,541,000)	(1,884,935,000)	(2,086,461,000)
Additions to deferred financing costs	(7,739,000)	(7,384,000)	(19,629,000)
Prepayment fees on extinguishment of debt	(8,708,000)	0	0
Proceeds from issuances of common stock	209,547,000	172,000	179,000
Proceeds from issuances of preferred stock	0	166,720,000	0
Purchase of noncontrolling interest in the Operating Partnership	0	9,863,000	0
Redemption of preferred stock/units	0	(115,000,000)	0
Proceeds from exercises of stock options	0	4,454,000	1,955,000
Redemption of redeemable noncontrolling preferred joint venture interest	(408,577,000)	0	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	6,530,000	7,120,000	2,079,000
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(65,187,000)	(65,635,000)	(75,468,000)
Dividends paid to holders of preferred stock	(44,892,000)	(43,738,000)	(42,376,000)
Dividends paid to common shareholders	(151,355,000)	(133,740,000)	(123,044,000)
Net cash used in financing activities	(351,806,000)	(212,689,000)	(408,995,000)
NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(12,748,000)	22,156,000	5,196,000
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, beginning of period	78,248,000	56,092,000	50,896,000
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, end of period	65,500,000	78,248,000	56,092,000
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] | Continuing Operations [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt	9,108,000	(265,000)	(1,029,000)
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] | Discontinued Operations [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt	0	0	(31,434,000)
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	110,370,000	174,519,000	184,994,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	285,549,000	268,634,000	276,370,000
Amortization of deferred finance costs, debt premiums and discounts	4,783,000	7,896,000	10,239,000
Net amortization of intangible lease assets and liabilities	63,000	(1,263,000)	(906,000)
Gain on sales of real estate assets	(1,980,000)	(5,323,000)	(59,396,000)
(Gain) loss on discontinued operations	(1,144,000)	(938,000)	1,000
Write-off of development projects	334,000	(39,000)	94,000
Share-based compensation expense	2,725,000	3,740,000	1,783,000
Net realized (gain) loss on sale of available-for-sale securities	0	(224,000)	22,000
Write-down of mortgage and other notes receivable	0	0	1,900,000
Gain on investments	(2,400,000)	(45,072,000)	0
Loss on impairment from continuing operations	70,049,000	24,379,000	51,304,000
Loss on impairment from discontinued operations	5,234,000	26,461,000	7,425,000
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(11,616,000)	(8,313,000)	(6,138,000)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	15,995,000	17,074,000	9,586,000
Provision for doubtful accounts	1,816,000	1,523,000	1,743,000
Change in deferred tax accounts	1,824,000	3,095,000	(5,695,000)
Changes in:
Tenant and other receivables	(12,358,000)	(2,150,000)	(6,025,000)
Other assets	5,928,000	1,801,000	6,084,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(19,539,000)	15,646,000	905,000
Net cash provided by operating activities	464,741,000	481,181,000	441,827,000
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to real estate assets	(314,299,000)	(217,827,000)	(205,379,000)
Acquisitions of real estate assets	(41,444,000)	(96,099,000)	(11,500,000)
Additions to restricted cash	(7,592,000)	(1,063,000)	(14,719,000)
(Additions) reductions to cash held in escrow	15,000,000	(15,000,000)	0
Purchase of partners' interest in unconsolidated affiliates	0	(14,280,000)	0
Proceeds from sales of real estate assets	240,150,000	76,950,000	244,647,000
Proceeds from sales of investments in unconsolidated affiliates	4,875,000	0	0
Additions to mortgage and other notes receivable	(2,700,000)	(3,584,000)	(15,173,000)
Payments received on mortgage notes receivable	5,672,000	3,002,000	7,479,000
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale securities	11,002,000	0	0
Additional investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(34,063,000)	(8,809,000)	(35,499,000)
Distributions in excess of equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	11,310,000	43,160,000	17,907,000
Changes in other assets	(13,604,000)	(13,133,000)	(15,408,000)
Net cash used in investing activities	(125,693,000)	(246,683,000)	(27,645,000)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from mortgage and other indebtedness	2,298,116,000	1,869,140,000	1,933,770,000
Principal payments on mortgage and other indebtedness	(2,179,541,000)	(1,884,935,000)	(2,086,461,000)
Additions to deferred financing costs	(7,739,000)	(7,384,000)	(19,629,000)
Prepayment fees on extinguishment of debt	(8,708,000)	0	0
Proceeds from issuances of common stock	209,547,000	172,000	179,000
Proceeds from issuances of preferred stock	0	167,078,000	0
Redemption of common units	0	(9,863,000)	0
Redemption of preferred stock/units	0	(115,000,000)	0
Proceeds from exercises of stock options	0	4,454,000	1,955,000
Redemption of redeemable noncontrolling preferred joint venture interest	(408,577,000)	0	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	6,530,000	7,120,000	2,079,000
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(65,187,000)	(26,899,000)	(29,518,000)
Dividends paid to holders of preferred stock	(44,892,000)	(43,738,000)	(42,376,000)
Dividends paid to common shareholders	(151,355,000)	(172,476,000)	(168,994,000)
Net cash used in financing activities	(351,806,000)	(212,331,000)	(408,995,000)
NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(12,758,000)	22,167,000	5,187,000
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, beginning of period	78,244,000	56,077,000	50,890,000
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, end of period	65,486,000	78,244,000	56,077,000
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] | Continuing Operations [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt	9,108,000	(265,000)	(1,029,000)
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership [Member] | Discontinued Operations [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt	$ 0	$ 0	$ (31,434,000)