In a major move to honor the legacy of one of music’s greatest figures, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the Nashville International Airport (BNA) announced a joint proposal to rename the city’s central hub after country legend Dolly Parton. The initiative follows the icon’s recent passing at age 80, which sparked a massive groundswell of fan support and public petitions urging officials to dedicate Music City’s main gateway to her memory.
Governor Lee revealed that he spoke directly with Parton’s team regarding the honor. Her representatives expressed deep gratitude for the proposal, noting that continuing the conversation feels like a fitting extension of her lifelong ability to bring people together.
A Fitting Welcome: “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,” Governor Lee stated.
Fan-Led Momentum: An online petition calling for the airport to be named after Parton gained over 160,000 signatures in the days following her passing.
Historic Milestone: If finalized, the renaming would make Parton the first woman to have one of the 50 busiest U.S. airports named in her honor.
The proposal moves to the Metro Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) board for official review. The board will address the proposal alongside its current policy which traditionally requires a candidate to have been deceased for two years before naming property after them during its scheduled meeting on September 17.
