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Push to rename Nashville airport for Dolly Parton gets a boost from Tennessee’s governor
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority have expressed support for renaming Nashville International Airport in honor of Dolly Parton following her death.
- An online petition started in January 2025 to rename the airport after Parton gained renewed momentum, surpassing 155,000 signatures after her passing.
- If approved, Dolly Parton would be the first woman to have her name on one of the 50 busiest airports in the U.S., breaking a trend where most airports named after individuals honor men.
- The airport authority's policy currently requires a two-year waiting period after a person's death before naming an airport in their honor, a rule that may need revisiting to accommodate this change.
- The proposal and potential policy adjustments will be discussed at the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority meeting scheduled for September 17.
