Non-cash Default Interest Expense

No definition available.

Name:	cbl_NoncashDefaultInterestExpense
Namespace Prefix:	cbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of Outparcels Sold

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cbl_NumberofOutparcelsSold
Namespace Prefix:	cbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 50
-Section 40
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117329964&loc=d3e12355-112629

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 50
-Section 40
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117329964&loc=d3e12317-112629

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net gain (loss) resulting from sales and other disposals of other real estate owned, increases (decreases) in the valuation allowance for foreclosed real estate, and write-downs of other real estate owned after acquisition or physical possession.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.14(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116637391&loc=SL114874048-224260

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainsLossesOnSalesOfOtherRealEstate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226691&loc=d3e2921-110230

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairmentOfRealEstate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=cbl_AcadaniaMallMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis=cbl_MallsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=cbl_NonRecourseLoansonOperatingPropertiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidatedEntitiesAxis=srt_GuarantorSubsidiariesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RestatementAxis=srt_RestatementAdjustmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries - Dispositions - Summary (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($) outparcel	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($) outparcel	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($) outparcel	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($) outparcel	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Gain on Extinguishment of Debt	$ 0	$ 0	$ 71,722	$ 0
Loss on impairment	$ 41,608	51,983	66,433	70,044
Gain (loss) on sales of real estate assets			$ 5,755	8,118
Number of outparcels sold \| outparcel	1		1
Acadania Mall
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Loss on impairment					$ 1,593	$ 43,007
Non-cash default interest expense			$ 305
Malls
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Loss on impairment				70,044
Non-recourse loans on operating properties
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Balance of Non-recourse Debt	$ 163,476		163,476
Gain on Extinguishment of Debt			71,722
Non-recourse loans on operating properties \| Malls \| Acadania Mall
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Balance of Non-recourse Debt	119,760		119,760
Gain on Extinguishment of Debt			61,796
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Gain on Extinguishment of Debt	0	0	61,796	0
Loss on impairment	0	$ 0	22,770	0
Gain (loss) on sales of real estate assets			0	$ 1,708
Number of outparcels sold \| outparcel		4		4
Guarantor Subsidiaries \| Acadania Mall
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Loss on impairment						$ 43,007
Non-cash default interest expense			305
Guarantor Subsidiaries \| Non-recourse loans on operating properties \| Malls \| Acadania Mall
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Balance of Non-recourse Debt	$ 119,760		119,760
Gain on Extinguishment of Debt			$ 61,796
Restatement Adjustment \| Guarantor Subsidiaries
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on sales of real estate assets		$ (11)		$ 0