Culture
Tennessee lawmaker to file bill renaming Nashville airport for Dolly Parton
PN Team • 2 months ago
A petition to rename Nashville International Airport "Dolly Parton International Airport" has surged past 117,000 signatures following Parton's death, prompting state Rep. Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill) to pledge legislation honoring the Tennessee icon. Warner previously sponsored a bill to rename the airport after President Donald Trump but says he now plans to file a Parton-naming bill early in the next legislative session, calling it a proposal likely to draw bipartisan support given her ties to Tennessee, country music and her Imagination Library.
The petition, started last year by comedian Lydia Popovich and photographer Dan Dion, has seen renewed momentum as fans mourn Parton across Middle Tennessee. Airport officials, who previously resisted renaming efforts for Trump, note that current bylaws bar naming the airport after anyone who has not been dead at least two years and made a significant impact on Tennessee aviation, a potential obstacle to the proposal.
Sources:
Sentiment
- Tennessee Tennessee is portrayed favorably through its connection to Dolly Parton, a celebrated state icon.
- Nashville, Tennessee The city is positively associated with honoring a beloved cultural icon via its airport naming.
- Donald Trump Referenced only as the subject of a previous, seemingly unsuccessful renaming bill, a neutral-to-mildly-negative mention.
- Republican Party (United States) Mentioned as the party affiliation of the legislator, a neutral factual detail.