The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority voted unanimously Friday to begin the process of renaming Nashville International Airport in honor of Dolly Parton. The board said a final name has not been determined and that it is working with "the appropriate parties" to determine how Parton’s name and legacy will be incorporated. The resolution directs MNAA president and CEO Doug Kreulen to consult with and secure approval from Dolly Parton’s estate and other entities, produce a timeline and implementation plan, and estimate costs for the renaming. Nashville International is currently known as BNA, a reference to its original name Berry Field, which honored World War I and World War II veteran Col. Harry Smith Berry. The city and state remain at odds over board control even as the rename effort has drawn bipartisan support. Mayor and governor have weighed in on memorializing the Tennessee icon, and MNAA said it expects to share more definitive plans in the coming months.
