Tennessee Governor Proposes Renaming Nashville Airport for Dolly Parton

Tennessee Governor's Joint Announcement With Nashville Airport

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Nashville International Airport announced in a joint statement on Friday their intention to rename the airport after Dolly Parton, the country music icon who died earlier in the week. Lee said "Dolly Parton's extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state," adding that "at a place where Tennessee welcomes the world, it is fitting that Nashville International Airport would bear the name of our state's favorite daughter and greet travelers with the enduring legacy of Dolly's music, generosity, faith and kindness." The proposal revives a petition-driven push from the previous year that had circulated alongside an earlier, separate proposal to rename the airport for President Trump.

Parton's Team and Local Officials Respond

According to the joint statement, Parton's team is "touched by the idea and open to continuing the conversation." Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell expressed support on social media, writing that Parton "was in the process of working with us on a remarkable hotel and museum — SongTeller — that she called her love letter to Nashville" and that "now it's our turn to share a love letter to Dolly — by renaming Nashville International Airport to Dolly Parton International Airport in Nashville." Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority president and CEO Doug Kreulen said "Dolly's remarkable legacy reminds us that what makes Nashville special is our ability to welcome people from every walk of life," emphasizing that "she understood that dignity, kindness and opportunity should never be defined by where you come from or your socioeconomic status."

Origin of the Renaming Push

The push to attach Parton's name to the airport dates to the previous year, when a petition was started in the wake of a proposal to rename the facility for President Trump. Signature counts on that petition reportedly grew sharply after Parton's death, providing the renewed momentum behind the governor's announcement. Coverage framed the airport renaming as a continuation of Parton's well-known philanthropy in Tennessee through the Dollywood Foundation and the Imagination Library.

Procedural Path and the September 17 Meeting

The airport authority's current naming policy and Lee's renaming proposal are scheduled to be taken up at the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority's meeting on Sept. 17. Nashville International Airport currently uses the code BNA, which is not addressed in the joint statement's announcement of the proposed name change.

Next Verifiable Step

The next concrete milestone is the Sept. 17 Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority meeting, where the board is expected to discuss both the airport's existing naming policy and the governor's proposal to rename the facility for Parton.