Dolly Parton: Tennessee Governor Proposes Plan To Rename Airport After Music Icon

Dolly Parton may be gone -- but her memory is going to live on forever at the Nashville International Airport, which is going to be renamed in honor of the country music icon, according to the Tennessee governor.

Governor Bill Lee made the announcement Friday ... saying that his office and Nashville International Airport plan to rename the travel hub after Dolly after receiving an outpouring of public support for the measure.

“Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state,” Lee said, adding, “From her rural mountain home in East Tennessee to global stages, Dolly carried the Volunteer Spirit with her."

Lee went on ... “At a place where Tennessee welcomes the world, it is fitting that Nashville International Airport would bear the name of our state’s favorite daughter and greet travelers with the enduring legacy of Dolly’s music, generosity, faith, and kindness.”

Earlier this week ... the numbers on a Change.org petition to rename the airport after Dolly began to soar -- sitting at just 53K signatures before her death, it now has over 164K supporters.

As you know, Dolly, a Tennessee native, died from cancer Tuesday at a hospital in Nashville. She was 80.

Meanwhile, Lee has already gotten the ball rolling on the proposal by speaking to Dolly's team about it just this past week. He said her team was very appreciative for all the public support and is open to having discussions about the renaming.