Debt Instrument, Debt Default Threshold, Minimum Loan Amount

No definition available.

Name:	cbl_DebtInstrumentDebtDefaultThresholdMinimumLoanAmount
Namespace Prefix:	cbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Deconsolidation of secured loans amount.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cbl_DeconsolidationOfSecuredLoansAmount
Namespace Prefix:	cbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line of credit facility payment restrictions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cbl_LineOfCreditFacilityPaymentRestrictions
Namespace Prefix:	cbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of non-recourse loans.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cbl_NumberOfNonRecourseLoans
Namespace Prefix:	cbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- 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

Quarterly Installment Payments on Debt

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cbl_QuarterlyInstallmentPaymentsonDebt
Namespace Prefix:	cbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of outstanding long-term debt or borrowing associated with any securities or credit agreement for which there has been a default in principal, interest, sinking fund, or redemption provisions, or any breach of covenant that existed at the end of the period and subsequently has not been cured.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(c))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395691&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtDefaultLongtermDebtAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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=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

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

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for the line of credit facility regardless of whether the facility has been used.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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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

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnusualRiskOrUncertaintyByNatureAxis=cbl_COVID19Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- 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:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=cbl_SecuredTermLoanMember
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=cbl_NonRecourseLoansonOperatingPropertiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Mortgage and Other Indebtedness, Net - Narrative (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2021 USD ($) mall associated_center subsidiary mortgage_note_receivable loan	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness, variable-rate debt	$ 67,611,000	$ 68,061,000
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
Line of credit facility payment restrictions	150,000
Number of non-recourse loans \| loan	2
Loans in default, aggregate outstanding balance	$ 825,856,000
Deconsolidation of secured loans amount	$ 138,926,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
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
COVID-19
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured credit facility, impact of uncertainty			$ 280,000,000
Line of Credit \| Secured Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	$ 1,185,000,000
Quarterly Installment Payments on Debt	$ 35,000,000
Line of Credit \| Secured Debt \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.25%
Line of Credit \| Secured Debt \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.35%
Revolving Credit Facility \| Secured Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	$ 675,926,000
Secured Term Loan \| Secured Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	438,750,000
Secured Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage and other indebtedness, variable-rate debt	675,926,000
Non-Recourse Loans on Operating Properties
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt default threshold, minimum loan amount (greater than)	$ 50,000