Nashville International Airport in Tennessee is set to be renamed in honour of Dolly Parton after the airport's board of commissioners voted in favour of the move on Friday. Parton died last month at the age of 80.
Nashville International Airport to be renamed after Dolly Parton
Nashville International Airport in Tennessee is set to be renamed in honour of Dolly Parton after the airport's board of commissioners voted in favour of the move on Friday. Parton died last month at the age of 80.
The proposal to rename the airport was first floated last year but gained momentum following Parton's death. A social media campaign by fans to rename the airport picked up steam after Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee threw their support behind the proposal late last month.
Parton was born on January 19, 1946, in Pittman Center, Tennessee, and grew up in a one-room cabin in nearby Locust Ridge. She appeared at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville at age 13 and moved to the city after high school to pursue a career in music.
The singer's economic impact on Tennessee includes an estimated $1.8 billion and counting brought into the state each year through her Dollywood theme park, according to a news report cited by the source.
The airport's current policy prohibits naming any property after a person who has not been dead for at least two years, according to the New York Times. The exact name of the airport in Parton's honour has not yet been selected, and the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority said it was working to determine how Parton's name and legacy will be incorporated.
- The source does not state the expected timeline for the renaming process beyond noting the policy requiring a two-year waiting period.
- The source does not provide details on the voting margin or whether the board vote was unanimous.
- The source does not include any statement or position from the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority beyond their announcement that they are working to determine how Parton's name will be incorporated.
- The source does not specify which exact name format will be used for the airport.