The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) Board of Commissioners has voted unanimously to begin renaming Nashville International Airport in Tennessee, USA, after country music icon Dolly Parton, according to a report by ABC 7 Chicago.

The board approved the move 6-0 on Friday, though a final name for the airport has not yet been decided, the outlet reported, citing an MNAA press release.

Parton, one of the best-selling music artists in history, died on August 25 at the age of 80 after a brief battle with cancer, according to her publicist. She was laid to rest in a private burial in Nashville on August 28.

The MNAA said it was "working closely with the appropriate parties" to determine how Parton's name and legacy would be incorporated, adding that further details would be shared "in the coming months."

The move follows a push by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, who had proposed the renaming weeks earlier, calling Parton "our state's favourite daughter." According to the report, Lee's office said Parton's team was "touched by the idea and open to continuing the conversation."

Public interest in the renaming had been building since January 2025, when Tennessee residents launched an online petition for the change. Since Parton's death, the petition has drawn more than 175,000 signatures, the report said.

Source: ABC 7 Chicago