Tennessee Governor proposes renaming Nashville Airport in honour of Dolly Parton

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has announced plans to name Nashville International Airport after Dolly Parton, following the 80-year-old country star's death from cancer this week.

Among the tributes, a 2025 Change.org petition to rename Nashville International Airport (BNA) to "Dolly Parton International Airport" has found renewed popularity.

The country music icon is from Tennessee and first moved to Nashville in 1964.

As of August 28, the petition has nearly 160,000 signatures, and two lawmakers say they support the name change. 

Now, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the airport have co-signed the proposal and announced they intend to officially change the airport’s name to honour Parton.

On Friday, Gov. Bill Lee‘s office announced a partnership with the Nashville International Airport (BNA) in conversation.

Other efforts to honour Parton in her home state include legislation introduced by Tennessee state Senator Jessie Seal to designate September 25 as "9 to 5" Day, a nod to Parton's famous anthem’s with Parton’s team to rename the airport in honour of the 11x Grammy-winning country pop/songstres.

The Metro Nashville Airport Authority will discuss its naming policy and Governor Lee’s proposal to rename the airport at its Thursday, Sept. 17 meeting.

“Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state,”. From her rural mountain home in East Tennessee to global stages, Dolly carried the Volunteer Spirit with her. said Governor Lee in a statement.

The Nashville International Airport currently has a strong country music presence, celebrating Music City with its Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Grand Ole Opry outposts and live performances.

Some U.S. airports named after performers, politicians or athletes include: the President Donald J. Trump International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida; Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport; Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky and John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California.