REDEEMABLE INTERESTS AND NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS Operating Partnership (Details) - Operating Partnership $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2005 quarter $ / shares shares	Jul. 31, 2004 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($) shares	Jun. 30, 2005 quarter $ / shares shares
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Units of partnership interest (shares)			28,292,387,000	29,257,183,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by noncontrolling owners			0.80%	0.80%
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by noncontrolling owners			13.40%	14.30%
Redeemable noncontrolling interest, allocation from (to) shareholders' equity, adjustment | $			$ 2,454	$ 2,981	$ 2,937
Noncontrolling interest, allocation from (to) Shareholders' Equity, adjustment | $			$ 13,625	$ (207)	$ (322)
CBL’s Predecessor
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Units of partnership interest (shares)			18,172,690,000	18,172,690,000
Third parties
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Units of partnership interest (shares)			10,119,697,000	11,084,493,000
The Company
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Redeemable noncontrolling interests | $			$ 17,996	$ 19,744
Partners' capital attributable to noncontrolling interest | $			$ 100,035	$ 109,753
S-SCUs
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Units of partnership interest (shares)		1,560,940
Limited partnership agreement, noncontrolling interest redemption right, acquisition price threshold of qualifying property | $		$ 20,000
L-SCUs
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Units of partnership interest (shares)							571,700
Limited partnership agreement, condition to participate in distribution at common unit rate, number of consecutive quarters of distribution exceeding minimum (years) | quarter							4
Common Units
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Units of partnership interest (shares)						622,278
Partnership units, value | $						$ 14,000
Business acquisition, ownership percentage acquired						30.00%
K-SCUs
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Units of partnership interest (shares)	1,144,924
Limited partnership agreement, condition to participate in distribution at common unit rate, number of consecutive quarters of distribution exceeding minimum (years) | quarter	4
First Five Years | S-SCUs
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Limited partnership agreement, annual distribution term, amount per unit (in usd per unit) | $ / shares		$ 2.53825
Limited partnership agreement, annual distribution term (years)		5 years
After Five Years | S-SCUs
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Limited partnership agreement, annual distribution term, amount per unit (in usd per unit) | $ / shares		$ 2.92875
Earlier of June 1, 2020 Or When Distribution Exceeds Minimum | L-SCUs
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Limited partnership agreement, annual distribution term, amount per unit (in usd per unit) | $ / shares							$ 3.0288
Limited partnership agreement, quarterly distribution term, amount per unit (in usd per unit) | $ / shares							$ 0.7572
First Year | K-SCUs
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Partnership unit, dividend rate (percentage)	6.00%
Partnership unit, dividends (in dollars per unit) | $ / shares	$ 2.85
After First Year | K-SCUs
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Partnership unit, dividend rate (percentage)	6.25%
Partnership unit, dividends (in dollars per unit) | $ / shares	$ 2.96875
Limited partnership agreement, redemption right, conversion rate to common stock, per share (shares)	1