Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Beginning Balance	$ (1,989)	$ 7,049	$ 13,969	$ 5,644
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements	1,216	921	2,099	1,873
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities	0	1,195	242	2,196
OCI before reclassifications, Total	1,216	2,116	2,341	4,069
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements	(646)	(551)	(1,169)	(1,099)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities			16,560
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Total	(646)	(551)	(17,729)	(1,099)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	570	1,565	(15,388)	2,970
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Ending Balance	(1,419)	8,614	(1,419)	8,614
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests/Redeemable Common Units
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Beginning Balance	404	390	401	387
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Beginning Balance		329	384	333
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements	6	3	9	6
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities		22	10	18
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements	0	0	0	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities		0	(394)	0
Net OCI, Hedging Agreements	6	3	9	6
Net OCI, Available-for-Sale Securities		22	(384)	18
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Ending Balance	410	393	410	393
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Ending Balance	0	351	0	351
The Company/Partners' Capital
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Beginning Balance	607	(872)	303	(1,214)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Beginning Balance		8,626	13,108	7,539
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements	1,148	866	1,975	1,756
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities		1,590	160	2,677
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements	(646)	(551)	(1,169)	(1,099)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities		0	(13,268)	0
Net OCI, Hedging Agreements	502	315	806	657
Net OCI, Available-for-Sale Securities		1,590	(13,108)	2,677
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Ending Balance	1,109	(557)	1,109	(557)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Ending Balance	0	10,216	0	10,216
Noncontrolling Interests
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Beginning Balance	(3,000)	(3,245)	(3,053)	(3,304)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Beginning Balance		1,821	2,826	1,903
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements	62	52	115	111
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities		(417)	72	(499)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements	0	0	0	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities		0	(2,898)	0
Net OCI, Hedging Agreements	62	52	115	111
Net OCI, Available-for-Sale Securities		(417)	(2,826)	(499)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Ending Balance	(2,938)	(3,193)	(2,938)	(3,193)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Ending Balance	0	1,404	0	1,404
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Beginning Balance	(1,989)	7,050	13,969	5,644
OCI before reclassifications, Total	1,216	2,114	2,341	4,068
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements	(646)	(551)	(1,169)	(1,099)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities			16,560
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Total	(646)	(551)	(17,729)	(1,099)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	570	1,563	(15,388)	2,969
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Ending Balance	(1,419)	8,613	(1,419)	8,613
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership | Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests/Redeemable Common Units
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Beginning Balance	404	390	401	387
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Beginning Balance		329	384	333
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements	7	3	10	6
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities		22	10	18
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements	0	0	0	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities		0	(394)	0
Net OCI, Hedging Agreements	7	3	10	6
Net OCI, Available-for-Sale Securities		22	(384)	18
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Ending Balance	411	393	411	393
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Ending Balance	0	351	0	351
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership | The Company/Partners' Capital
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Beginning Balance	(2,393)	(4,116)	(2,750)	(4,518)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Beginning Balance		10,447	15,934	9,442
OCI before reclassifications, Hedging Agreements	1,209	916	2,089	1,866
OCI before reclassifications, Available-for-Sale Securities		1,173	232	2,178
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Hedging Agreements	(646)	(551)	(1,169)	(1,099)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, Available-for-Sale securities		0	(16,166)	0
Net OCI, Hedging Agreements	563	365	920	767
Net OCI, Available-for-Sale Securities		1,173	(15,934)	2,178
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Hedging Agreements, Ending Balance	(1,830)	(3,751)	(1,830)	(3,751)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, Available-for-Sale Securities, Ending Balance	$ 0	$ 11,620	$ 0	$ 11,620