Gov. Lee takes step to name Nashville airport after Dolly Parton
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Dolly Parton performing in 1975. Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Gov. Bill Lee and the Nashville airport announced their intent Friday to name the airport after the iconic Dolly Parton.
Why it matters: Dolly will be the name that welcomes millions of travelers to Tennessee's capital city.
- At a time when politics divides us, renaming the airport to honor the universally beloved Parton became an idea everyone seems to support.
Driving the news: Lee said in a press release that he spoke to Parton's team about renaming BNA and "they are touched by the idea and open to continuing the conversation."
- "Her team believes Dolly still has a special way of bringing people together for good, and they hope this tribute can be another example of that enduring legacy," press release states.
The big picture: The idea of renaming BNA for Parton has been floated for years, but it gained traction this week following her death at 80.
- Nashville Councilmember Russ Bradford filed a resolution to get the city council on record in support of the idea.
Between the lines: According to Lee's press release, airport leadership supports the plan. That's noteworthy because Metro is suing the state for control of the airport board.
- An Airport Authority policy states the airport can't be renamed until two years after the person's death. The individual is also supposed to have impacted aviation in Tennessee, according to the policy.
- The airport board plans to take up the renaming issue at its Sept. 17 meeting, Lee announced.
- The Federal Aviation Administration has to sign off any name change, and that process can be lengthy.
What he's saying: "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 said.