Mortgage and Other Indebtedness (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Nov. 30, 2013	Oct. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted Average Interest Rate (percent)	4.94%		4.93%
Long-term debt	4,667,270,000
Fixed Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted Average Interest Rate (percent)	5.50%		5.50%
Variable Rate Interest Member
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted Average Interest Rate (percent)	1.68%		1.69%
Wells Fargo Bank
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit, extension fee (percent)	0.20%
Senior Unsecured Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount				450,000,000
Notice required to redeem debt, term	30 days
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage	100.00%
Senior Unsecured Notes | Fixed Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted Average Interest Rate (percent)				5.25%	5.25%
Senior Unsecured Notes | Fixed Rate Operating Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized debt discount	4,137,000		4,230,000
Senior Unsecured Notes | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured debt to total assets (as a percent)	40.00%
Senior Unsecured Notes | Minimum | Fixed Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, increase in variable interest rate	0.25%
Senior Unsecured Notes | Maximum | Fixed Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, increase in variable interest rate	1.00%
Non-recourse loans on operating properties
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, debt default threshold, minimum loan amount	50,000,000
Non-recourse loans on operating properties | Fixed Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted Average Interest Rate (percent)	5.62%		5.62%
Non-recourse loans on operating properties | Variable Rate Interest Member
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted Average Interest Rate (percent)	2.30%		2.29%
5.250% Senior Notes Due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, percentage bearing fixed interest, amount	445,863,000		445,770,000
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage	100.00%
5.250% Senior Notes Due 2023 | Fixed Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted Average Interest Rate (percent)	5.25%		5.25%
5.250% Senior Notes Due 2023 | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured debt to total assets (as a percent)	40.00%
5.250% Senior Notes Due 2023 | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured debt to total assets (as a percent)	45.00%
Senior Notes Due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, percentage bearing fixed interest, amount	299,928,000		299,925,000
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage	100.00%
Senior Notes Due 2024 | Fixed Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted Average Interest Rate (percent)	4.60%		4.60%			4.60%
Other | Fixed Rate Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted Average Interest Rate (percent)	3.50%		3.50%
Recourse term loans on operating properties
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, debt default threshold, minimum loan amount	150,000,000
Recourse term loans on operating properties | Variable Rate Interest Member
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted Average Interest Rate (percent)	2.93%		2.91%
Construction loan | Variable Rate Interest Member
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted Average Interest Rate (percent)	2.68%		2.66%
Unsecured lines of credit | Variable Rate Interest Member
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted Average Interest Rate (percent)	1.57%		1.56%
Unsecured term loans | Variable Rate Interest Member
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted Average Interest Rate (percent)	1.68%		1.71%
Unsecured lines of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of unsecured term loans	2
Loan agreement, basis spread on variable rate	1.40%
Unsecured lines of credit | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loan agreement, basis spread on variable rate	1.00%
Unsecured lines of credit | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loan agreement, basis spread on variable rate	1.75%
Annual facility Fee (percent)	0.35%
Wells Fargo Bank
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Letter of credit, outstanding	800,000
Unsecured Term Loan 3
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loan agreement, basis spread on variable rate	1.50%
Unsecured Term Loan 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loan agreement, basis spread on variable rate		1.55%	1.90%
Required | Senior Unsecured Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured debt to total assets (as a percent)	45.00%
Total debt to total asset value (as a percent)	60.00%
Total Unencumbered Assets to Unsecured Debt (as a percent)	150.00%
Consolidated income available for debt service to annual debt service charge (as a percent)	150.00%
Required | Unsecured Credit Facility and Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt to total asset value (as a percent)	60.00%
Total Unencumbered Assets to Unsecured Debt (as a percent)	160.00%
Unencumbered NOI to unsecured interest expense (as a percent)	175.00%
EBITDA to fixed charges (debt service) (as a percent)	150.00%
Actual | Senior Unsecured Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured debt to total assets (as a percent)	37.00%
Total debt to total asset value (as a percent)	53.60%
Total Unencumbered Assets to Unsecured Debt (as a percent)	238.10%
Consolidated income available for debt service to annual debt service charge (as a percent)	320.00%
Actual | Unsecured Credit Facility and Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt to total asset value (as a percent)	49.20%
Total Unencumbered Assets to Unsecured Debt (as a percent)	260.00%
Unencumbered NOI to unsecured interest expense (as a percent)	420.00%
EBITDA to fixed charges (debt service) (as a percent)	220.00%
Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of unsecured term loans			4
Derivative, Number of Instruments Held	4		4
Derivative, Notional Amount	104,492,000		105,584,000
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, percentage bearing fixed interest, amount	3,984,876,000		4,004,064,000
Mortgage and other indebtedness amount carrying value	684,835,000		696,396,000
Long-term debt	4,669,711,000		4,700,460,000
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. | Non-recourse loans on operating properties
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, percentage bearing fixed interest, amount	3,234,029,000		3,252,730,000
Mortgage and other indebtedness amount carrying value	17,051,000		17,121,000
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. | Other
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, percentage bearing fixed interest, amount	5,056,000		5,639,000
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. | Recourse term loans on operating properties
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness amount carrying value	9,279,000		7,638,000
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. | Construction loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness amount carrying value	1,440,000		454,000
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. | Unsecured lines of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness amount carrying value	207,065,000		221,183,000
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. | Unsecured term loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness amount carrying value	450,000,000		450,000,000
Treasury Rate | 5.250% Senior Notes Due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative, basis spread on variable rate	0.40%
Treasury Rate | Senior Notes Due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative, basis spread on variable rate	0.35%
Senior Notes Due 2024 | Unsecured lines of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized debt discount	72,000		75,000
Debt instrument, face amount			300,000,000
Unsecured term loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount	400,000,000
Interest rate at period end	1.68%
Unsecured lines of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of unsecured term loans	3
Mortgage and other indebtedness amount carrying value	214,088,000
Annual facility Fee (percent)	0.30%
Total Capacity, line of credit	1,300,000,000
Unsecured lines of credit | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Annual facility Fee (percent)	0.15%
Unsecured Line of Credit 1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness amount carrying value	43,398,000
Total Capacity, line of credit	600,000,000
First Tennessee
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness amount carrying value	9,313,000
Total Capacity, line of credit	100,000,000
Unsecured Line of Credit 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness amount carrying value	161,377,000
Total Capacity, line of credit	600,000,000
Wells Fargo Bank
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total Capacity, line of credit	50,000,000
Letter of credit, outstanding	6,110,000
Unsecured Term Loan 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted Average Interest Rate (percent)	1.72%
Debt instrument, face amount	50,000,000
Total Capacity, line of credit	20,000,000
Letter of credit, outstanding	113,000