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Property, Plant and Equipment, Number of Disposals

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This element represents the aggregate of the assets reported on the balance sheet at period end measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis by the entity. This element is intended to be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements.

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Percentage of voting equity interests acquired at the acquisition date in the business combination.

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-Publisher FASB

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For an entity that discloses a concentration risk in relation to quantitative amount, which serves as the "benchmark" (or denominator) in the equation, this concept represents the concentration percentage derived from the division.

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The aggregate expense recognized in the current period that allocates the cost of tangible assets, intangible assets, or depleting assets to periods that benefit from use of the assets.

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The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

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Amount represents the difference between the cash acquisition price of the debt and the net carrying amount of the debt at the time of its extinguishment (or deconsolidation of in-substance real estate when an entity defaults on its debt obligations).

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No definition available.

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Difference between the fair value of payments made and the carrying amount of debt which is extinguished prior to maturity.

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The aggregate amount of write-downs for impairments recognized during the period for long-lived assets held for abandonment, exchange or sale.

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The charge against earnings in the period to reduce the carrying amount of real property to fair value.

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Long-lived assets other than financial instruments, long-term customer relationships of a financial institution, mortgage and other servicing rights, deferred policy acquisition costs, and deferred tax assets.

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The cash inflow associated with the amount received from the sale of a portion of the company's business, for example a segment, division, branch or other business, during the period.

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Amount of real estate investment property, net of accumulated depreciation, which may include the following: (1) land available-for-sale; (2) land available-for-development; (3) investments in building and building improvements; (4) tenant allowances; (5) developments in-process; (6) rental properties; and (7) other real estate investments.

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FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS - Long-Lived Assets Measure at Fair Value (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014 property	Dec. 31, 2013 property	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Apr. 30, 2014
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Number of properties disposed of		3
Loss on impairment		$ 17,858us-gaap_ImpairmentOfRealEstate	$ 70,049us-gaap_ImpairmentOfRealEstate	$ 24,379us-gaap_ImpairmentOfRealEstate
Fair value of long-lived assets		69,103	31,900		31,900
Property Carrying Values [Roll Forward]
Long-lived assets, beginning carrying value		87,788us-gaap_NoncurrentAssets						87,788us-gaap_NoncurrentAssets
Capital expenditures		43cbl_RealEstateCapitalExpenditures
Disposals		(158)
Depreciation expense		(291,273)	(278,911)	(255,460)
Net sales proceeds		(15,499)
Other		(1,961)
Non-recourse debt		(68,563)us-gaap_GainLossOnNonRecourseDebt
Loss on impairment of real estate		(17,753)
Gain on extinguishment of debt	(9,108)	87,893	(9,108)	265
Long-lived assets, ending carrying value		0us-gaap_NoncurrentAssets	87,788us-gaap_NoncurrentAssets		87,788us-gaap_NoncurrentAssets
Number of properties written down		134us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties	2us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties		2us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
Joint venture, ownership percentage		35.00%
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of long-lived assets		69,103	31,900		31,900
Chapel Hill Mall [Member]
Property Carrying Values [Roll Forward]
Long-lived assets, beginning carrying value		66,120						66,120
Capital expenditures		0
Disposals		(33)
Depreciation expense		(1,809)
Net sales proceeds		0
Other		(1,961)
Non-recourse debt		(68,563)
Loss on impairment of real estate		(12,050)
Gain on extinguishment of debt		18,296
Long-lived assets, ending carrying value		0
Concentration risk, percent of total revenue		0.40%
Lakeshore Mall [Member]
Property Carrying Values [Roll Forward]
Long-lived assets, beginning carrying value		19,127						19,127
Capital expenditures		12
Disposals		0
Depreciation expense		(320)
Net sales proceeds		(13,613)
Other		0
Non-recourse debt		0
Loss on impairment of real estate		(5,206)
Gain on extinguishment of debt		0
Long-lived assets, ending carrying value		0
Concentration risk, percent of total revenue		0.20%
Pemberton Plaza [Member]
Property Carrying Values [Roll Forward]
Long-lived assets, beginning carrying value		2,541						2,541
Capital expenditures		31
Disposals		(125)
Depreciation expense		(64)
Net sales proceeds		(1,886)
Other		0
Non-recourse debt		0
Loss on impairment of real estate		(497)
Gain on extinguishment of debt		0
Long-lived assets, ending carrying value		0
Concentration risk, percent of total revenue		0.00%
Madison Square [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loss on impairment					47,212
Property Carrying Values [Roll Forward]
Long-lived assets, beginning carrying value			57,231
Capital expenditures			5
Depreciation expense			(2,024)
Loss on impairment of real estate			(47,212)
Long-lived assets, ending carrying value			8,000		8,000
Concentration risk, percent of total revenue			0.70%
Real estate investment property, net			8,000		8,000						55,212
Citadel Mall [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loss on impairment	20,453
Property Carrying Values [Roll Forward]
Long-lived assets, beginning carrying value			45,178
Capital expenditures			262
Depreciation expense			(1,380)
Loss on impairment of real estate			(20,453)
Long-lived assets, ending carrying value			23,607		23,607
Concentration risk, percent of total revenue			0.60%
Real estate investment property, net	23,900											44,353
Madison Square and Citadel Mall [Member]
Property Carrying Values [Roll Forward]
Long-lived assets, beginning carrying value			102,409
Capital expenditures			267
Depreciation expense			(3,404)
Loss on impairment of real estate			(67,665)
Long-lived assets, ending carrying value			31,607		31,607
Outparcel Sale [Member] \| Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Number of properties disposed of				3
Loss on impairment				1,064
Property Carrying Values [Roll Forward]
Number of properties written down				2			2
Real estate investment property, net				2,250			2,250
Net proceeds from sale of real estate				1,186
Imperial Valley Commons, L.P. [Member]
Property Carrying Values [Roll Forward]
Loss on impairment of real estate				(20,315)
Long-lived assets fair value disclosure				5,330		25,645	5,330
Courtyard at Hickory Hollow [Member]
Property Carrying Values [Roll Forward]
Loss on impairment of real estate						(3,000)
Courtyard at Hickory Hollow [Member] \| Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member]
Property Carrying Values [Roll Forward]
Loss on impairment of real estate						(5,843)	(2,843)
Air Transportation Equipment [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loss on impairment			1,799	105
Property Carrying Values [Roll Forward]
Real estate investment property, net			6,091	281	6,091		281
Net proceeds from sale of real estate			4,292	176
Non-cash impairment of long-lived asset			585
Imperial Valley Mall [Member]
Property Carrying Values [Roll Forward]
Business combination, ownership percentage				40.00%			40.00%
Joint venture, ownership percentage				60.00%			60.00%
Lakeshore Mall Pemberton Plaza and Chapel Hill [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loss on impairment		17,753
Property Carrying Values [Roll Forward]
Depreciation expense		(2,193)
Gain on extinguishment of debt		18,296
Chapel Hill Mall [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loss on impairment								12,050
Chapel Hill Mall [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of long-lived assets								53,348
Lakeshore Mall [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loss on impairment								5,100	106
Lakeshore Mall [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of long-lived assets													13,780
Pemberton Plaza [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loss on impairment										$ 497