Tennessee is honoring Dolly Parton in a major way following the country music icon’s death.
On Friday (Aug. 28), Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Nashville International Airport (BNA) announced plans to rename the travel hub in Parton’s honor following her death earlier this week.
“Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state,” Lee said in a statement. “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 announcement comes just days after the Queen of Country died on Aug. 25 following a “brief battle with cancer,” according to her team.
Parton’s team “expressed their appreciation for the extraordinary outpouring of support to honor Dolly,” Lee wrote, adding that they are “touched by the idea and open to continuing the conversation.”
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell also voiced his support for renaming the airport in a statement shared on Instagram.
“Dolly was in the process of working with us on a remarkable hotel and museum — SongTeller — that she called her love letter to Nashville,” O’Connell wrote. “Now it’s our turn to share a love letter to Dolly — by renaming Nashville International Airport to Dolly Parton International Airport in Nashville.”
The Metro Nashville Airport Authority’s (MNAA) current naming policy, along with Lee’s proposal to rename Nashville International Airport, will be discussed at a meeting scheduled for Sept. 17. Additional details are expected to be announced in the coming weeks, according to the governor’s statement.
“BNA is the front door to Music City, and with that comes a responsibility to reflect the very best of who we are as a community,” MNAA president and CEO Doug Kreulen said.
Earlier this week, a Change.org petition calling for Nashville International Airport to be renamed Dolly Parton International Airport in honor of the singer-songwriter gained significant support. As of Saturday morning (Aug. 29), the petition had collected more than 164,000 signatures.
