Dolly Parton International: State Rep Supports Bill Renaming Nashville Airport

Tennessee’s Todd Warner vows to introduce legislation in support of a new moniker.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, August 27, 2026 at 09:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

An aerial view of downtown Nashville's cityscape. [Credit: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

Following Dolly Parton's recent death, a petition to rename Nashville International Airport (KBNA) after her has surged in support, now exceeding 90,000 signatures.
Tennessee state representative Todd Warner has pledged to introduce legislation for the renaming, having previously withdrawn a similar proposal to name the airport after Donald Trump.
The proposed renaming faces two primary obstacles: an airport policy requiring honorees to be deceased for at least two years (making August 2028 the earliest possible date) and an estimated rebranding cost of over $10 million.

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A Tennessee state representative appears to have lent support for renaming Nashville International Airport (KBNA) after country singer Dolly Parton, who died at age 80 in Music City on Tuesday.

A petition started by two Nashville residents in early 2025 to rename Nashville International after Parton had only a few thousand supporters earlier this week. Following Parton’s death, the petition has spiked to more than 90,000 signatures as of Wednesday.