Subsequent Events (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013	May 31, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Lakeshore Mall [Member]	Apr. 30, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] OK City Outlets II, LLC [Member] Operating property loan [Member] Extension_Options	Apr. 30, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] OK City Outlets III, LLC [Member] Construction loan [Member] Extension_Options	Apr. 30, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] El Paso Outlet Center II Expansion, LLC [Member] Construction loan [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Debt instrument, term					4 years
Construction loan, face amount			$ 6,000,000	$ 5,400,000	$ 7,000,000
Number of extension options available			2	2
Debt instrument, option extension term			1 year	1 year
Loan agreement, basis spread on variable rate			2.75%	2.75%	2.75%
Amount of loan guaranteed, percentage			100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Contract sales price for real estate	$ 220,425,000	$ 14,000,000

Debt Instrument, Guaranty, Percentage

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	cbl_
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- Definition

Debt Instrument, Period of Extension Option

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of extension options available.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	cbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584090&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Revenue from the sale of commercial, industrial, or residential property during the period. This element is more likely than not relevant to an entity for which real estate operations are a principal activity. If real estate operations are not a principal activity, the reporting entity would likely use a gain (loss) on sale of property, plant, or equipment type element.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1(e))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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