Since the passing of Tennessee icon Dolly Parton, officials ranging from members of Nashville’s Metro Council to Gov. Bill Lee have been united: they all want to rename Nashville’s airport to honor the late country music legend and philanthropist.
That effort moved forward on Friday with a 6-0 vote from the Metro Nashville Airport Authority.
The remarkable pace of the push—Parton passed just over two weeks ago, and the airport had to put aside rules precluding such a rapid name change—underscores both Parton’s legacy as a pathbreaking artist and her unrivaled ability to unite Tennesseans, even after her death.
The airport’s resolution clears it to begin the process “in consultation with and subject to approval of Dolly Parton’s estate and other appropriate entities, create a timeline and implementation plan for all necessary approvals and determine the estimated costs associated with the renaming of the airport in honor of Dolly Parton.”
In a statement following the vote, officials say it’s a “first step in a multifaceted process,” and that they’ll have more details in the coming months. While they’re working to incorporate Parton’s name and legacy, they say they haven’t yet settled on exactly what the airport’s new name will be.
Last year, when state lawmakers were weighing renaming the airport after President Donald Trump, officials estimated the cost at around $10 million.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM