Debt Instrument, Number Of Instruments

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Number of subsidiaries owned.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of Associated Centers Securing Credit Facility, Collateral

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of Associated Centers not Classified as Collateral

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of Malls Securing Credit Facility, Collateral

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of Malls not Classified as Collateral

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of Mortgage Notes Receivable not Classified as Collateral

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- 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

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

- 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=119993939&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

The portion of the carrying amount of long-term borrowings outstanding as of the balance sheet date, including current maturities, which accrues interest at a rate subject to change from time to time.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The number of states the entity operates in as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfStatesInWhichEntityOperates
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_SecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=cbl_SeniorNotesDue2023Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=cbl_SeniorNotesDue2026Member
Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidatedEntitiesAxis=srt_GuarantorSubsidiariesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=cbl_SeniorUnsecuredNotesMember
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Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries - Organization - Narrative (Details)	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($) state mall associated_center subsidiary mortgage_note_receivable senior_unsecured_note	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2019 USD ($)
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Number of states in which entity operates \| state	26
Number of Malls Securing Credit Facility, Collateral \| mall	17
Number of Associated Centers Securing Credit Facility, Collateral \| associated_center	3
Number of wholly owned subsidiaries \| subsidiary	36
Mortgage and other indebtedness, variable-rate debt	$ 1,192,140,000	$ 847,275,000
Line of Credit \| Secured Debt
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Balance of non-recourse debt	1,185,000,000
Secured Line of Credit
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness, variable-rate debt	675,925,000	$ 310,925,000
Unsecured Debt [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness, variable-rate debt	447,500,000
Senior unsecured notes due 2023
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Balance of non-recourse debt	450,000,000
Senior unsecured notes due 2024
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Balance of non-recourse debt	300,000,000
Senior unsecured notes due 2026
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Balance of non-recourse debt	$ 625,000,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Number of states in which entity operates \| state	26
Number of Malls Securing Credit Facility, Collateral \| mall	17
Number of Associated Centers Securing Credit Facility, Collateral \| associated_center	3
Number of wholly owned subsidiaries \| subsidiary	36
Number of malls not classified as collateral for the secured credit facility \| mall	4
Number of associated centers not classified as collateral for the secured credit facility \| associated_center	2
Number of Mortgage Notes Receivable not Classified as Collateral \| mortgage_note_receivable	4
Guarantor Subsidiaries \| Line of Credit \| Secured Debt
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Balance of non-recourse debt	$ 1,185,000,000		$ 1,185,000,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries \| Senior Unsecured Notes
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Balance of non-recourse debt	$ 1,375,000,000
Debt instrument, number of instruments \| senior_unsecured_note	3
Guarantor Subsidiaries \| Secured Line of Credit
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness, variable-rate debt	$ 675,925,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries \| Unsecured Debt [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness, variable-rate debt	447,500,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries \| Senior unsecured notes due 2023
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Balance of non-recourse debt	450,000,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries \| Senior unsecured notes due 2024
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Balance of non-recourse debt	300,000,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries \| Senior unsecured notes due 2026
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Balance of non-recourse debt	$ 625,000,000