The world continues to mourn the great American artist Dolly Parton, who passed away last month at the age of 80. Before Parton's death, fans were already campaigning to have Nashville International Airport renamed in Parton's honor. A few days after her death, the airport and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced that those plans were moving forward. Today, the seven members of the Nashville Airport Authority board voted unanimously to approve the plan. It's happening.
As Nashville's News Channel 5 reports, the airport will keep its three-letter BNA code in honor of Col. Harry S. Berry, who helped build the airport, originally known as Berry Field, in 1937, but the facility's official name will be the Dolly Parton International Airport. According to WZTV, Parton's Dollywood Foundation is working with the airport to merge the two businesses.
Two other Dolly Parton enterprises, Dolly Parton's SongTeller Hotel and Dolly's Life Of Many Colors Museum, are now scheduled to open in Nashville on Sep. 29. The SongTeller Hotel will have 245 guest rooms and two live music venues, Jolene's and Parton's Live. The museum is also part of the hotel, and it'll take up the hotel's entire third floor. Plans for both of them were in place before Parton's death. Earlier this year, Parton filmed a guided tour for the museum. Just like her Dollywood theme park, the hotel will include a replica of the one-room mountain cabin where she was born.
