Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Nashville International Airport have backed a proposal to rename BNA in honour of Dolly Parton, moving the idea into the Metro Nashville Airport Authority process. The proposal is due before the authority on 17 September, but no final decision has been taken and the airport would still need to clear its naming rules and other approvals before any change to the Tennessee hub.
The proposal follows renewed public campaigning for a tribute to Parton, with petition support growing sharply in recent months. Under the airport’s current policy, a named honouree may need to have been dead for at least two years, a requirement that could complicate the timetable for approval. Any renaming would also require work on signage, branding and other airport materials.
If approved, the change would give Nashville’s main airport a high-profile link to one of the state’s best-known figures and could make Parton the first woman honoured in the name of one of the 50 busiest airports in the United States. Representatives for Parton are part of the discussion around the proposal.