Nashville board moves to rename airport for Dolly Parton

The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority board voted unanimously on Friday to begin the process of renaming Nashville International Airport in honor of the late country music icon Dolly Parton. The 6-0 vote marks the initial step in a multifaceted project to update the facility’s identity, though officials noted that the exact wording of the new name and the final implementation plan have yet to be determined.

The decision follows the death of the singer on August 25, which occurred after a previously undisclosed cancer diagnosis. Her passing triggered a global outpouring of tributes and renewed public interest in memorializing her legacy. Following the announcement of her death, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee expressed his support for renaming the airport to honor the state’s most prominent cultural figure.

The proposal gained significant momentum through a public petition started by fan Lydia Popovich in 2025, which has since garnered more than 175,000 signatures. While the push for the name change intensified following Parton’s death, the concept had been discussed previously. During her lifetime, Parton had frequently declined various honors, including a 2021 legislative effort to place a statue of her on the Tennessee Capitol grounds. At that time, she requested that lawmakers withdraw the bill, suggesting that such honors might be more appropriate “somewhere down the road several years from now or perhaps after I’m gone.”

The move to rename the airport serves as a rare point of consensus between the Republican-controlled state government and the Democrat-led city government. The two entities have been involved in a prolonged dispute regarding the governance and control of the airport, yet both sides have aligned in their support for the tribute.

Airport officials stated that they are working closely with relevant parties to ensure the incorporation of Parton’s name and legacy is handled thoughtfully. The authority indicated that the transition process is expected to take a year or more to complete. Further details regarding the implementation and the final naming structure are expected to be released in the coming months.