A push to rename Nashville’s airport to honor Dolly Parton is continuing to gain traction, but the Knoxville airport far closer to her hometown of Locust Ridge would have a much harder time making a change.
McGhee Tyson Airport, about 45 miles from Parton's childhood home in Sevier County, is tied to its name
by a nearly century-old deal. The airport can't swap names without forcing Knoxville to give up Tyson Park near Kingston Pike.Both the city's airport and the park are named for Charles McGhee Tyson, a pilot and descendant of Knoxville's founder. Tyson was killed when his plane went down over the North Sea during World War I, and his mother later arranged for the city to take 20 acres of land for the park.
She also got the city to agree to name
its major airport McGhee Tyson, after her son.
Nashville International Airport renaming gains traction
McGhee Tyson spokesperson Becky Huckaby told Knox News she hasn't heard of a campaign to rename Knoxville's airport, though some Tennesseans have suggested the idea online following a petition to rename Nashville International Airport in Parton's honor.
A Change.org petition started in January 2025 to rename the Nashville airport gained thousands of additional signatures following Parton's death Aug. 25. By 4:30 p.m. the following day, more than 90,000 people in total had signed on in support of the idea.
Nothing in the Nashville airport's policies prevents a name change, though any effort to rename the airport for Parton would have to wait at least two years after her death. Charlotte Weatherington, a spokesperson for the airport, shared a statement with Knox News acknowledging numerous requests for the name change.
"Dolly’s extraordinary talent, generosity and unmistakable spirit transcended generations, and her love for Tennessee left an indelible mark on our state and the world," she said.
Could McGhee Tyson change its airport code from TYS? It's tricky
Parton built a legacy in Tennessee that spanned the globe, but her name rarely has been reflected in official name changes. A notable exception is the East Tennessee Children's Hospital, which shifted its name to the Dolly Parton Children's Hospital in April after a substantial donation from the singer-songwriter, who agreed to the naming due to her strong belief in the hospital's mission.
A similar name change for the Knoxville airport would be tricky. A more plausible option would be to change the airport's International Air Transport Association code, the three-letter identifier used around the world.
If the airport requested a change from TYS, it would need to get creative. Some of the most obvious alternatives − including DLY, DLP and DOL − are already assigned to other airports by the International Air Transport Association. The association doesn’t change airport codes often - they’re intended as permanent designations - but they have approved changes on occasion.
Changing an airport's name also can be expensive. The switch from Palm Beach International Airport to President Donald J. Trump International Airport earlier this year cost about $5.5 million, according to a July report from Reuters.
Other challenges could prevent Knoxville airport name change
Even without the airport's commitment to the Tyson family, the Knoxville airport could be challenged if Nashville's airport successfully pursued a renaming. The Federal Aviation Administration wouldn't prevent the change, an FAA spokesperson told Knox News. But two Tennessee with similar names might cause confusion for travelers and could open the door to lawsuits.
Airports in cities including Orlando and San Francisco have sued or settled litigation with other airports in recent years over the rights to their names.
While McGhee Tyson's options are limited as a commercial airport, the Downtown Island Airport in Knoxville could make the shift. However, changing the name of a much smaller general aviation airport would reach far fewer people than if McGhee Tyson made a swap.
In nearly 100 years since the agreement with the Tyson family, the city's relationship with McGhee Tyson has shifted. Knoxville might have created McGhee Tyson, but the city hasn't funded the airport in years.
The airport also moved out of Knoxville in 1937 and is now within Alcoa city limits, about 12 miles away from Knoxville. Earlier this year, in a historic change, state officials stripped the city of its power to appoint most of the people who control spending and strategy at McGhee Tyson, one of the busiest airports in Tennessee.
Mariah Franklin reports on technology and energy for Knox News. Email: mariah.franklin@knoxnews.com. Signal: mariahfranklin.01
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Amid Nashville push, could Knoxville airport be renamed for Dolly Parton?
