REDEEMABLE INTERESTS AND NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS Variable Interest Entities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	May 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			$ 659,494	$ 144,800
Liabilities, Consolidated			616,386	101,908
Assets, Unconsolidated			186,749	240,429
Liabilities, Unconsolidated			163,474	366,984
Capital contribution of note receivable to joint venture			5,280	0	$ 0
Atlanta Outlet Outparcels, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			914
Liabilities, Consolidated			4
Atlanta Outlet JV, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			63,361
Liabilities, Consolidated			81,128
CBL Terrace LP
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			16,714
Liabilities, Consolidated			13,509
El Paso Outlet Center Holding, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			103,232	107,337
Liabilities, Consolidated			69,535	63,458
El Paso Outlet Center II, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			8,638
Liabilities, Consolidated			7,028
Guaranteed amount			6,745
Foothills Mall Associates
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			9,811
Liabilities, Consolidated			34,997
Gettysburg Outlet Center Holding, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			36,542
Liabilities, Consolidated			39,476
Gettysburg Outlet Center, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			7,203	37,463
Liabilities, Consolidated			37	38,450
High Point Development LP II
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			1,104
Liabilities, Consolidated			55
Jarnigan Road LP
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			41,392
Liabilities, Consolidated			20,988
Laredo Outlet JV, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			89,353
Liabilities, Consolidated			58,822
Guaranteed amount			39,263
Lebcon Associates
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			47,721
Liabilities, Consolidated			121,529
Lebcon I, Ltd
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			9,290
Liabilities, Consolidated			9,711
Lee Partners
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			1,195
Liabilities, Consolidated			0
Louisville Outlet Outparcels, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			62
Liabilities, Consolidated			0
Louisville Outlet Shoppes, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			76,831
Liabilities, Consolidated			85,132
Madison Grandview Forum, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			33,196
Liabilities, Consolidated			13,622
The Promenade at D'Iberville
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			84,470
Liabilities, Consolidated			46,570
Statesboro Crossing, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			18,869
Liabilities, Consolidated			11,058
Village at Orchard Hills, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			498
Liabilities, Consolidated			0
Woodstock GA Investments, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Consolidated			9,098
Liabilities, Consolidated			3,185
Ambassador Infrastructure, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Unconsolidated			14,279
Liabilities, Unconsolidated			14,279
G&I VIII CBL Triangle LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Unconsolidated			172,470
Liabilities, Unconsolidated			149,195
JG Gulf Coast Town Center LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Unconsolidated				142,021
Liabilities, Unconsolidated				195,892
Triangle Town Member LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets, Unconsolidated				98,408
Liabilities, Unconsolidated				$ 171,092
The Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta - Phase II
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Guaranteed amount			4,839
The Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass - Phase II
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Guaranteed amount			$ 10,101
Parent Company | Laredo Outlet JV, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Company's ownership interest (as a percent)	65.00%	65.00%	65.00%
Amount of contribution	$ 19,846	$ 7,714
Cash contribution		2,434
Percentage of capital contributed	100.00%
Parent Company | Laredo Outlet JV, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Company's ownership interest (as a percent)						65.00%
Capital contribution of note receivable to joint venture		$ 5,280
Parent Company | Triangle Town Member LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Company's ownership interest (as a percent)			10.00%				50.00%
Parent Company | JG Gulf Coast Town Center LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Company's ownership interest (as a percent)		50.00%	50.00%
Corporate Joint Venture | Laredo Outlet JV, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Company's ownership interest (as a percent)		35.00%	35.00%
Cash contributed by third party		$ 10,686
Corporate Joint Venture | Laredo Outlet JV, LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Company's ownership interest (as a percent)						35.00%
Corporate Joint Venture | Triangle Town Member LLC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Company's ownership interest (as a percent)			90.00%				50.00%