UNCONSOLIDATED AFFILIATES AND COST METHOD INVESTMENT (Joint Ventures) (Details) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended							12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) office_building	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) subsidiary	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Sales price, gross										$ 194,710	$ 104,860	$ 18,615
Sales Price, Net										189,531	103,537	17,886
Gain on sales of real estate assets							$ 14,065	$ 14,173		29,567	32,232	5,342
Mortgage and other indebtedness, variable-rate debt	$ 888,770		$ 888,770				1,241,379			888,770	1,241,379
Gain on extinguishment of debt											256
Gain on investments									$ 16,560	7,534	16,560	87,893
Loss on impairment										$ 116,822	105,945	17,858
Triangle Town Member LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Gain on sales of real estate assets	$ 2,820
High Pointe Commons, LP and High Pointe Commons II-HAP, LP
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of subsidiaries owned by the company | subsidiary				2
JG Gulf Coast Town Center LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Gain on investments					$ 29,267
River Ridge Mall JV, LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Joint venture, ownership percentage	25.00%		25.00%							25.00%
Corporate Joint Venture | CBL-TRS Joint Venture, LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of office buildings sold | office_building	4
Sales price, gross	$ 26,000
Sales Price, Net	25,406			$ 14,962
Gain on sales of real estate assets	51
Corporate Joint Venture | Triangle Town Member LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Sales price, gross	30,250					$ 174,000
Sales Price, Net	29,802
Gain on sales of real estate assets	2,538					$ 80,979
Mortgage and other indebtedness, variable-rate debt	$ 29,342		$ 29,342							$ 29,342
Joint venture, ownership percentage	90.00%	50.00%	90.00%			50.00%				90.00%
Equity contribution						$ 3,060
Corporate Joint Venture | High Pointe Commons
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Sales price, gross				33,800
Gain on sales of real estate assets				$ 16,649
Joint venture, ownership percentage				50.00%
Gain on extinguishment of debt				$ 393
Corporate Joint Venture | Renaissance Center
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Sales Price, Net					80,324
Gain on sales of real estate assets					59,977
Corporate Joint Venture | JG Gulf Coast Town Center LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Gain on extinguishment of debt					$ 63,294
Corporate Joint Venture | River Ridge Mall JV, LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Joint venture, ownership percentage		75.00%				75.00%
Parent Company | CBL-TRS Joint Venture, LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Joint venture, ownership percentage	50.00%		50.00%							50.00%
Parent Company | Triangle Town Member LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Gain on sales of real estate assets	$ 282
Joint venture, ownership percentage	10.00%	50.00%	10.00%			50.00%				10.00%
Parent Company | High Pointe Commons
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Joint venture, ownership percentage				50.00%
Parent Company | JG Gulf Coast Town Center LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Joint venture, ownership percentage	50.00%		50.00%		50.00%					50.00%
Parent Company | River Ridge Mall JV, LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Joint venture, ownership percentage	25.00%	25.00%	25.00%			25.00%				25.00%
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Gain on sales of real estate assets										$ 29,567	32,232	5,342
Gain on extinguishment of debt										0	256	87,893
Gain on investments										7,534	16,560	0
Loss on impairment										116,822	105,945	$ 17,858
Unconsolidated Affiliate and Other Affiliated Partnerships
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Gain on sales of real estate assets										501
Other Ownership Interest | Corporate Joint Venture | CBL-TRS Joint Venture, LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Sales Price, Net	$ 12,703
Gain on sales of real estate assets	25
Other Ownership Interest | Corporate Joint Venture | High Pointe Commons
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Sales Price, Net				$ 7,481
Gain on sales of real estate assets				8,324
Gain on extinguishment of debt				197
Other Ownership Interest | Corporate Joint Venture | Renaissance Center
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Sales Price, Net					$ 40,162
Gain on sales of real estate assets					29,989
Other Ownership Interest | Unconsolidated Affiliate and Other Affiliated Partnerships
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Gain on sales of real estate assets										251
Mortgages | High Pointe Commons
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Extinguishment of debt				$ 17,388
Mortgages | Corporate Joint Venture | Triangle Town Member LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Mortgage note payables assumed		$ 171,092				$ 171,092
Mortgages | Parent Company | Triangle Town Member LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Mortgage note payables assumed		17,109				17,109
Mortgages | Other Ownership Interest | Corporate Joint Venture | Triangle Town Member LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Mortgage note payables assumed		85,546				85,546
Non Recourse Loans On Operating Properties
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness, variable-rate debt	$ 19,055		$ 19,055				$ 16,840			19,055	$ 16,840
Non Recourse Loans On Operating Properties | JG Gulf Coast Town Center LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness, variable-rate debt					190,800
Non Recourse Loans On Operating Properties | CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. | JG Gulf Coast Town Center LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness, variable-rate debt					95,400
Renaissance Center
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Sales price, gross					129,200
Gain on sales of real estate assets					29,437
Renaissance Center - Phase I | Mortgages
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Mortgage debt assumed by buyer of real estate assets					16,000
Defeasance of debt in disposition					$ 31,484
River Ridge Mall JV, LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Sales price, gross		33,500
Sales Price, Net		$ 32,905
Loss on impairment			$ 84			9,510				9,594
Reserve for future capital expenditures						2,100				$ 2,100
Percentage owned in disposed asset		75.00%								75.00%
River Ridge Mall JV, LLC | Corporate Joint Venture
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Cash contributed by third party						33,500
Quoted market value		$ 7,000				7,000
Repayment of long term line of credit						$ 32,819