Earnings Per Share and Earnings per Unit (Details) - shares shares in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Denominator - basic (in shares)	170,669	170,420
Effect of performance stock units (in shares)	0	90
Denominator - diluted (in shares)	170,669	170,510
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership
Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Denominator - basic (in shares)	199,926	199,681
Effect of performance stock units (in shares)	0	90
Denominator - diluted (in shares)	199,926	199,771