Governor’s Support Boosts Campaign to Name Nashville Airport After Dolly Parton

POLICY WIRE — Nashville, Tennessee — The movement to rename Nashville’s airport after Dolly Parton has gained significant momentum following the country music legend’s passing. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority have expressed their support for the name change, which is set to be discussed at the authority’s meeting next month.

Fans initiated an online petition in January 2025, urging officials to rename Nashville International Airport in Parton’s honor. The petition has garnered over 155,000 signatures since her death.

If successful, this change would mark the first time a woman’s name appears on one of America’s 50 busiest airports. Governor Lee has already conversed with Parton’s representatives about the proposal.

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, Lee stated.

Parton, who rose from humble beginnings in the Great Smoky Mountains, became a cultural icon whose influence transcended generations, geographies, and politics. Her contributions include hit songs like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” and roles in films such as “9 to 5” and “Steel Magnolias.”

Several U.S. airports are named after celebrities, including Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky, and John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. Most airports named after individuals honor men, with exceptions like Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Amelia Earhart Memorial Airport in Atchison, Kansas.

The proposal to name the Nashville airport after Parton may necessitate a review of the airport authority’s policy, which currently requires individuals to be deceased for at least two years before being considered for such an honor.

The governor’s office has confirmed that the proposal and the naming policy will be on the agenda for the airport authority’s meeting on September 17.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)