Push to rename Nashville airport for Dolly Parton gets a boost from Tennessee's governor
- Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority both expressed support for renaming Nashville International Airport after Dolly Parton on Friday, days after the country music icon's death at age 80.
- An online petition to rename the airport started in January 2025 and gained renewed attention following Parton's death on Tuesday, accumulating over 155,000 signatures by Friday.
- If approved, Parton would become the first woman whose name adorns one of America's 50 busiest airports.
- The airport authority's naming policy currently requires that airport properties only be named for people who have been dead for at least two years.
- The proposal and naming policy will be discussed at the airport authority's meeting scheduled for September 17.
A campaign by fans to rename Nashville's airport after Dolly Parton has gained official support following the country music legend's death at age 80. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority both endorsed the name change on Friday, with the proposal expected to be discussed at the authority's meeting on September 17.
The effort began with an online petition launched in January 2025, which gained significant momentum after Parton's death on Tuesday. By Friday, the petition had accumulated over 155,000 signatures. If approved, Parton would become the first woman whose name adorns one of America's 50 busiest airports.
Governor Lee stated in a statement that it would be fitting for Nashville International Airport to bear Parton's name, as a place where Tennessee welcomes the world. He noted he has already discussed the idea with representatives for Parton. However, the airport's current naming policy requires that properties only be named for people who have been deceased for at least two years, a rule that may need to be revisited to accommodate this proposal.
田纳西州州长支持将纳什维尔机场改名为多莉·帕顿机场
在乡村音乐传奇人物多莉·帕顿去世后，粉丝们改名纳什维尔机场的活动获得了官方支持。田纳西州州长比尔·李和大纳什维尔机场管理局首席执行官均于周五支持这一改名，该提案预计将在9月17日的管理局会议上讨论。
这项活动始于2025年1月启动的一份在线请愿书，在帕顿于周二去世后获得了显著的关注。到周五，请愿书已累计超过15.5万个签名。如获批准，帕顿将成为美国50个最繁忙机场中首位以女性名字命名的机场。
州长李在声明中表示，将纳什维尔国际机场以帕顿名字命名是恰当的，因为这是田纳西州向世界敞开大门的地方。他指出已与帕顿的代表讨论过这一想法。然而，机场现行命名政策规定，设施只能以已故至少两年的人士名字命名，这一规则可能需要修改以适应该提案。