Condensed Consolidated Statements of Equity/Capital - 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	Dividends in Excess of Cumulative Earnings Preferred Units	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
Beginning Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Dec. 31, 2014		$ 37,559																	$ 6,455	$ 31,104	$ 37,559
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income		3,865																	3,023	842	3,865
Other comprehensive income	$ (14,565)	(366)				$ (11,917)			$ (11,917)	$ (2,648)	$ (14,565)					$ (14,565)	$ (14,565)			(366)	(366)
Dividends declared - common stock/units	(135,542)						$ (135,542)		(135,542)		(160,044)			$ (1,600)	$ (158,444)		(160,044)			(3,429)	(3,429)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(2,256)	2,258			$ (1,338)				(1,338)	(918)
Allocation of partners' capital											(2,345)			(76)	(2,269)		(2,345)			2,258	2,258
Adjustment to record redeemable interests at redemption value	9,516	(9,515)			8,339				8,339	1,177	9,516			97	9,419		9,516		(1,097)	(8,418)	(9,515)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(28,856)	(5,486)								(28,856)	(4,354)							$ (4,354)	(2,057)		(2,057)
Ending Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Sep. 30, 2015		28,315																	6,324	21,991	28,315
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	142,103						125,628		125,628	16,475	142,103	33,669		1,097	105,803		140,569	1,534
Other comprehensive income	(14,565)	(366)				(11,917)			(11,917)	(2,648)	(14,565)					(14,565)	(14,565)			(366)	(366)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest in Operating Partnership	(286)									(286)
Dividends/Distributions declared - common stock/units	(135,542)						(135,542)		(135,542)		(160,044)			(1,600)	(158,444)		(160,044)			(3,429)	(3,429)
Dividends/Distributions declared - preferred stock/units	$ (33,669)							$ (33,669)	(33,669)		(33,669)	$ (33,669)					(33,669)
Issuances of common units (in units)	275,359												273,000
Issuances of common units											639				639		639
Issuance of common stock and restricted common stock	$ 639			3	636				639
Redemption of common units, units													(55,000)
Redemptions of common units											(286)				(286)		(286)
Cancellation of restricted common stock/units, units	(41,898)												0
Cancellation of restricted common stock/units	$ (741)			(1)	(740)				(741)		(741)				(741)		(741)
Performance stock units	468				468				468		468			5	463		468
Amortization of deferred compensation	3,384				3,384				3,384		3,384			35	3,349		3,384
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(2,256)	2,258			(1,338)				(1,338)	(918)
Allocation of partners' capital											(2,345)			(76)	(2,269)		(2,345)			2,258	2,258
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	9,516	(9,515)			8,339				8,339	1,177	9,516			97	9,419		9,516		(1,097)	(8,418)	(9,515)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	607									607	607							607
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(28,856)	(5,486)								(28,856)	(4,354)							(4,354)	(2,057)		(2,057)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2015	1,490,730		25	1,705	1,968,947	1,494	(610,368)		1,361,803	128,927
Ending balance, units at Sep. 30, 2015												25,050,000	199,750,000
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2015											1,491,154	$ 565,212		9,347	911,282	(1,382)	1,484,459	6,695
Ending Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Sep. 30, 2015		28,315																	6,324	21,991	28,315
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Dividends/Distributions declared - preferred stock/units	(11,223)										(11,223)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2015	1,490,730		25	1,705	1,968,947	1,494	(610,368)		1,361,803	128,927
Ending balance, units at Sep. 30, 2015												25,050,000	199,750,000
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2015											1,491,154	$ 565,212		9,347	911,282	(1,382)	1,484,459	6,695
Beginning Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Dec. 31, 2015		25,330									19,744								5,586	19,744	25,330
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income		(2,119)																	(2,763)	644	(2,119)
Other comprehensive income	431	3				371			371	60	431					431	431			3	3
Dividends declared - common stock/units	(135,780)						(135,780)		(135,780)		(160,022)			(1,600)	(158,422)		(160,022)			(3,429)	(3,429)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(1,686)	1,686			(11,647)	(2,306)			(13,953)	12,267
Allocation of partners' capital											(1,794)			(148)	(2,083)	437	(1,794)			1,686	1,686
Adjustment to record redeemable interests at redemption value	(3,617)	3,617			(3,514)				(3,514)	(103)	(3,617)			(37)	(3,580)		(3,617)		2,729	888	3,617
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(29,712)	(5,775)								(29,712)	(5,470)							(5,470)	(2,346)		(2,346)
Ending Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Sep. 30, 2016		22,742									19,536								3,206	19,536	22,742
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	1,399,599		25	1,705	1,970,333	1,935	(689,028)		1,284,970	114,629
Beginning balance, units at Dec. 31, 2015												25,050,000	199,748,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2015											1,400,038	$ 565,212		8,435	822,383	(868)	1,395,162	4,876
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income	117,778						104,052		104,052	13,726	117,778	33,669		839	80,956		115,464	2,314
Other comprehensive income	431	3				371			371	60	431					431	431			3	3
Purchase of noncontrolling interest in Operating Partnership	(11,754)									(11,754)
Dividends/Distributions declared - common stock/units	(135,780)						(135,780)		(135,780)		(160,022)			(1,600)	(158,422)		(160,022)			(3,429)	(3,429)
Dividends/Distributions declared - preferred stock/units	$ (33,669)						(33,669)		(33,669)		(33,669)	$ (33,669)					(33,669)
Issuances of common units (in units)	331,324												331,000
Issuances of common units											432				432		432
Issuance of common stock and restricted common stock	$ 432			3	429				432
Redemption of common units, units													(965,000)
Redemptions of common units											(11,754)				(11,754)		(11,754)
Cancellation of restricted common stock/units, units	(31,293)												(31,000)
Cancellation of restricted common stock/units	$ (226)				(226)				(226)		(226)				(226)		(226)
Performance stock units	775				775				775		775			8	767		775
Amortization of deferred compensation	2,857				2,857				2,857		2,857			29	2,828		2,857
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(1,686)	1,686			(11,647)	(2,306)			(13,953)	12,267
Allocation of partners' capital											(1,794)			(148)	(2,083)	437	(1,794)			1,686	1,686
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	(3,617)	3,617			(3,514)				(3,514)	(103)	(3,617)			(37)	(3,580)		(3,617)		2,729	$ 888	3,617
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	11,240									11,240	11,240							11,240
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(29,712)	$ (5,775)								(29,712)	(5,470)							(5,470)	$ (2,346)		$ (2,346)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2016	$ 1,316,668		$ 25	$ 1,708	$ 1,959,007	$ 0	$ (754,425)		$ 1,206,315	$ 110,353
Ending balance, units at Sep. 30, 2016												25,050,000	199,083,000
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2016											$ 1,316,999	$ 565,212		$ 7,526	$ 731,301	$ 0	$ 1,304,039	$ 12,960