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.
- An online petition to rename the airport was started by fans in January 2025 and gained renewed attention following Parton's death on Tuesday at age 80, reaching over 155,000 signatures by Friday.
- The name change is expected to be discussed at the airport authority's meeting on September 17.
- If approved, Parton would become the first woman whose name adorns one of America's 50 busiest airports.
- The airport's current naming policy requires that properties only be named for people who have been dead for at least two years, which may need to be revisited.
A campaign by fans to rename Nashville's airport after Dolly Parton has gained official support following the country music icon's death on Tuesday at age 80. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority both announced their backing for the proposal on Friday, with the matter expected to be discussed at the airport authority's meeting on September 17.
The push to rename Nashville International Airport began with an online petition launched by fans in January 2025. Following Parton's death, the petition gained significant momentum, 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. Governor Lee stated that naming the airport after Parton would be fitting, as it would greet travelers with the legacy of her music, generosity, faith, and kindness.
One potential obstacle to the renaming is the airport's existing naming policy, which stipulates that airport properties should only be named for individuals who have been deceased for at least two years. The governor's office indicated that this policy may need to be revisited as part of the discussion at the September 17 meeting.
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·帕顿于周二去世（享年80岁）后，粉丝们为将纳什维尔机场改名为帕顿机场的运动获得了官方支持。田纳西州州长比尔·李和纳什维尔大都会机场管理局首席执行官均于周五宣布支持这一提议，该事项预计将在机场管理局9月17日的会议上讨论。
将纳什维尔国际机场改名的推动始于粉丝在2025年1月发起的在线请愿书。在帕顿去世后，该请愿书获得了显著的支持，到周五已累积超过15.5万个签名。如获批准，帕顿将成为第一位名字出现在美国50个最繁忙机场之一的女性。州长李表示，以帕顿的名字命名机场是恰当的，因为这将向旅客展现她音乐、慷慨、信仰和善良的遗产。
改名的一个潜在障碍是机场现行的命名政策，该政策规定机场设施只能以已去世至少两年的人名命名。州长办公室表示，这一政策可能需要在9月17日的会议讨论中重新审视。