Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee proposes renaming Nashville airport after Dolly Parton

The Nashville International Airport in Nashville, Tenn., March 11, 2024. (Joe Hendrickson/Getty Images)

(NASHVILLE) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee wants to honor Dolly Parton in a big way.

Lee said he spoke with Parton’s team about renaming Nashville International Airport in honor of Dolly, which would create “a lasting tribute to her indelible legacy and the generations of people she inspired across Tennessee and around the world.”

Parton’s team “expressed their appreciation for the extraordinary outpouring of support to honor Dolly,” according to Lee, and they are “touched by the idea and open to continuing the conversation.”

“Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state,” Gov. Lee said in a statement. “From her rural mountain home in East Tennessee to global stages, Dolly carried the Volunteer Spirit with her. 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’s proposal will be addressed at the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority’s meeting on Sept. 17.

MNAA President Doug Kreulen said in a statement, “Dolly’s remarkable legacy reminds us that what makes Nashville special is our ability to welcome people from every walk of life. She understood that dignity, kindness and opportunity should never be defined by where you come from or your socioeconomic status.”

Kreulen added, “At BNA, we share that commitment. Whether you are boarding a private aircraft or taking your first flight, you deserve to be welcomed, respected and served with the same level of care. That spirit is what defines BNA and it is a fitting reflection of the values Dolly shared with Tennessee and the world.”

A change.org petition created by Lydia Popovich and Dan Dion in January 2025 to rename the airport after Parton has received tens of thousands of additional supporters since her death on Aug. 25. Since it was created, it has received more than 155,000 signatures.

The petition calls on Lee and Tennessee lawmakers Todd Warner, Bob Freeman and Fred Atchley to make the change.

Warner shared a response to the petition on Wednesday, writing, “Yes I will definitely introduce legislation to rename the BNA airport Dolly Parton International Airport! Thanks, TW.”