Condensed Consolidated Statements of Equity/Capital (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Dividends in Excess of Cumulative Earnings	Total Shareholders' Equity	Noncontrolling Interests	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Preferred Units	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Common Units	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership General Partner	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Limited Partners	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Total Shareholders' Equity	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Noncontrolling Interests	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Redeemable Common Units	CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests	Common Stock CBL & Associates Limited Partnership	Common Stock CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Common Units	Common Stock CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Limited Partners	Common Stock CBL & Associates Limited Partnership Total Shareholders' Equity
Beginning Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Dec. 31, 2013		$ 34,639																$ 5,883	$ 28,756	$ 34,639
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income		2,355																1,706	649	2,355
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ 2,946	24				$ 3,334		$ 3,334	$ (388)	$ 2,946					$ 2,946	$ 2,946			24	24
Dividends declared - common stock/units	(83,430)						$ (83,430)	(83,430)		(98,825)			$ (986)	$ (97,839)		(98,825)			(2,286)	(2,286)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(17,850)	(5,744)							(17,850)	(2,456)							$ (2,456)	(3,458)		(3,458)
Allocation of partners' capital										(1,469)			(16)	(1,453)		(1,469)			1,482	1,482
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(1,482)	1,482			$ (4,347)			(4,347)	2,865
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	(3,784)	3,784			(3,536)			(3,536)	(248)	(3,784)			(95)	(3,689)		(3,784)		2,005	1,779	3,784
Ending Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Jun. 30, 2014		36,540																6,136	30,404	36,540
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	1,559,934		$ 25	$ 1,700	1,967,644	6,325	(570,781)	1,404,913	155,021
Beginning balance, units at Dec. 31, 2013											25,050,000	199,593,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2013										1,560,355	$ 565,212		9,866	961,175	4,923	1,541,176	19,179
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income	105,546						93,252	93,252	12,294	105,546	22,446		846	81,582		104,874	672
Other comprehensive income (loss)	2,946	24				3,334		3,334	(388)	2,946					2,946	2,946			24	24
Dividends declared - common stock/units	(83,430)						(83,430)	(83,430)		(98,825)			(986)	(97,839)		(98,825)			(2,286)	(2,286)
Dividends declared - preferred stock	$ (22,446)						(22,446)	(22,446)		(22,446)	$ (22,446)					(22,446)
Issuances of common units, units	241,188																					242,000
Issuances of common stock/units and restricted common stock	$ 590			3	587			590													$ 590		$ 590	$ 590
Redemption of common units, units												(171,000)
Redemption of common units	$ (2,914)								(2,914)
Redemptions of common units										(2,914)				(2,914)		(2,914)
Cancellation of restricted common stock, units	(28,563)											(29,000)
Cancellation of restricted common stock	$ (360)				(360)			(360)		(360)				(360)		(360)
Amortization of deferred compensation	2,115				2,115			2,115		2,115			21	2,094		2,115
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(17,850)	(5,744)							(17,850)	(2,456)							(2,456)	(3,458)		(3,458)
Allocation of partners' capital										(1,469)			(16)	(1,453)		(1,469)			1,482	1,482
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(1,482)	1,482			(4,347)			(4,347)	2,865
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	(3,784)	3,784			(3,536)			(3,536)	(248)	(3,784)			(95)	(3,689)		(3,784)		2,005	1,779	3,784
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2014	1,538,865		25	1,703	1,962,103	9,659	(583,405)	1,390,085	148,780
Ending balance, units at Jun. 30, 2014											25,050,000	199,635,000
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2014										1,539,298	$ 565,212		9,636	939,186	7,869	1,521,903	17,395
Beginning Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Dec. 31, 2014		37,559								31,104								6,455	31,104	37,559
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income		2,261																1,668	593	2,261
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(15,013)	(375)				(12,302)		(12,302)	(2,711)	(15,013)					(15,013)	(15,013)			(375)	(375)
Dividends declared - common stock/units	(90,362)						(90,362)	(90,362)		(107,831)			(1,066)	(106,765)		(107,831)			(1,126)	(1,126)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(19,830)	(2,754)							(19,830)	(2,360)							(2,360)	(1,628)		(1,628)
Allocation of partners' capital										(410)			(56)	(354)		(410)			311	311
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(311)	311			1,317			1,317	(1,628)
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	(5,942)	5,942			(5,071)			(5,071)	(871)	(5,941)			(61)	(5,880)		(5,941)		(291)	6,233	5,942
Ending Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Jun. 30, 2015		42,944								36,740								6,204	36,740	42,944
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	1,549,928		25	1,703	1,958,198	13,411	(566,785)	1,406,552	143,376
Beginning balance, units at Dec. 31, 2014											25,050,000	199,532,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2014										1,550,441	$ 565,212		9,789	953,349	13,183	1,541,533	8,908
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income	99,275						88,059	88,059	11,216	99,275	22,446		781	75,357		98,584	691
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(15,013)	(375)				(12,302)		(12,302)	(2,711)	(15,013)					(15,013)	(15,013)			(375)	(375)
Performance stock units	312				312			312		312			3	309		312
Dividends declared - common stock/units	(90,362)						(90,362)	(90,362)		(107,831)			(1,066)	(106,765)		(107,831)			(1,126)	(1,126)
Dividends declared - preferred stock	$ (22,446)						(22,446)	(22,446)		(22,446)	$ (22,446)					(22,446)
Issuances of common units, units	272,498																					273,000
Issuances of common stock/units and restricted common stock	$ 592			3	589			592													$ 592		$ 592	$ 592
Redemption of common units, units												(15,000)
Redemptions of common units	(286)													(286)		(286)
Conversion of Operating Partnership common units to shares of common stock	$ (286)								(286)
Cancellation of restricted common stock, units	(40,238)											(40,000)
Cancellation of restricted common stock	$ (731)			(1)	(730)			(731)		(731)				(731)		(731)
Amortization of deferred compensation	2,613				2,613			2,613		2,613			27	2,586		2,613
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	15								15	15							15
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(19,830)	(2,754)							(19,830)	(2,360)							(2,360)	(1,628)		(1,628)
Allocation of partners' capital										(410)			(56)	(354)		(410)			311	311
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(311)	311			1,317			1,317	(1,628)
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	(5,942)	$ 5,942			(5,071)			(5,071)	(871)	(5,941)			(61)	(5,880)		(5,941)		$ (291)	$ 6,233	$ 5,942
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2015	$ 1,497,814		$ 25	$ 1,705	$ 1,957,228	$ 1,109	$ (591,534)	$ 1,368,533	$ 129,281
Ending balance, units at Jun. 30, 2015											25,050,000	199,750,000
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2015										$ 1,498,230	$ 565,212		$ 9,417	$ 918,177	$ (1,830)	$ 1,490,976	$ 7,254