Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced Friday that Nashville International Airport may be named after country music legend Dolly Parton.
“Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state,” the Republican said in a statement, three days after the singing icon’s death. “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 reportedly discussed the possibility with Parton’s team, and they were on board to continue the conversation. The move will be discussed at a Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority meeting next month.
The current policy requires that a person be dead for at least two years before the airport is named after them, according to The New York Times.
Doug Kreulen, president and CEO of MNAA, said in the statement that the airport is “the front door to Music City.”
“Dolly’s remarkable legacy reminds us that what makes Nashville special is our ability to welcome people from every walk of life. She understood that dignity, kindness and opportunity should never be defined by where you come from or your socioeconomic status,” Kreulen added.
A Change.org petition to rename the airport that started before her death has gathered more than 156,800 signatures.
On Wednesday, prior to the governor’s announcement, Tennessee state Rep. Todd Warner (R) promised to introduce legislation on the matter. Likewise, Nashville Metro Council member Russ Bradford on Wednesday said he sponsored a resolution calling on MNAA to change the airport’s name.
The airport has been honoring Parton by lighting up the parking garages pink, which will continue through the weekend.
Parton, who was born in Sevier County, Tennessee, died at 80 after a “brief battle with cancer,” her representatives confirmed after her family announced her death in a video statement. It’s unclear what type of cancer she had been diagnosed with.
The Queen of Country is known for hit songs like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.” She also starred in famous movies like “9 to 5” and “Steel Magnolias.”