Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	$ 1,340,852	$ 1,399,599
OCI before reclassifications		877
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		(443)
Total other comprehensive income	0	434
Ending Balance	1,314,452	1,379,896
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests/Redeemable Common Units, Unrealized Gains (Losses) - Hedging Agreements
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		433
OCI before reclassifications		3
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		(436)
Total other comprehensive income		(433)
Ending Balance		0
The Company/Partners' Capital, Unrealized Gains (Losses) - Hedging Agreements
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		1,935
OCI before reclassifications		814
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		(2,749)
Total other comprehensive income		(1,935)
Ending Balance		0
Noncontrolling Interests, Unrealized Gains (Losses) - Hedging Agreements
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		(2,802)
OCI before reclassifications		60
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		2,742
Total other comprehensive income		2,802
Ending Balance		0
Total
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		(434)
Ending Balance		0
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
OCI before reclassifications		877
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		(443)
Total other comprehensive income	$ 0	434
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership | Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests/Redeemable Common Units, Unrealized Gains (Losses) - Hedging Agreements
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		434
OCI before reclassifications		3
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		(437)
Total other comprehensive income		(434)
Ending Balance		0
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership | The Company/Partners' Capital, Unrealized Gains (Losses) - Hedging Agreements
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		(868)
OCI before reclassifications		874
Amounts reclassified from AOCI		(6)
Total other comprehensive income		868
Ending Balance		0
CBL & Associates Limited Partnership | Total
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		(434)
Ending Balance		$ 0