Nashville airport board votes to begin process of renaming BNA for Dolly Parton

The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority voted unanimously, 6-0, on September 11, 2026, to begin the process of modifying Nashville International Airport’s name in honor of Dolly Parton.

The action starts a multifaceted process rather than completing a renaming. MNAA said a final name has not been determined and that more definitive plans and implementation details are expected in the coming months.

What the airport board decided

In its statement following the September 11 board meeting, MNAA said the authority is working with the appropriate parties to determine how Parton’s name and legacy could be incorporated into the airport’s identity.

The official statement did not approve a final name or establish a date for implementation. For travelers, airport workers, tenants, transportation providers and nearby businesses, the immediate practical effects therefore remain unsettled.

What remains undecided

Nashville International Airport has not been officially renamed. The airport authority has not yet announced the final wording, implementation schedule or detailed plan for carrying out any approved change.

Residents and airport users should continue to rely on current airport instructions and official BNA communications while the process continues. No source reviewed for this report establishes a change to flight operations, airline schedules or airport-code usage.

How the proposal developed

On August 28, Gov. Bill Lee and Nashville International Airport announced their intent to name BNA in honor of Dolly Parton. The governor’s announcement said Parton’s team was open to continuing the conversation and that MNAA’s naming policy and the proposal would be addressed through the airport authority.

Metro Council Resolution RS2026-2261, adopted by the council with final action recorded September 4, requested that the MNAA board make an exception to its naming policy and rename Nashville International Airport “Dolly Parton International Airport.” The resolution identifies that wording as a request to the airport authority, not as the airport’s final official name.

What happens next

MNAA said it expects to share more definitive plans and implementation details in the coming months. Future official announcements will need to clarify the final name, timing and how any approved change would be carried out.

For now, the concrete action is the board’s 6-0 vote to begin the process. Nashville International Airport and BNA remain the current airport identity pending additional decisions.

Sources

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