In her lifetime she thought it was a joke: the giant tribute to commemorate Dolly Parton

A month after Dolly Parton's death at age 80, the board of directors of Nashville International Airport unanimously approved renaming the airport after her. The new name has yet to be finalized, and the renaming process is expected to be costly and complex, including replacing signage across the airport's approximately 17,000-acre area, updating passenger buses, uniforms, souvenirs, business cards, contracts, and lease agreements. The initiative, first raised last year, has recently gained support from Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. In her lifetime, Parton struggled to believe the idea would actually materialize, calling it a 'joke'. Governor Lee said after the vote that it was 'an important step to honor her extraordinary legacy'. Parton was considered one of the most iconic figures associated with Tennessee, partly due to the 'Dollywood' theme park, which generates about $1.8 billion annually for the state, and the 'Imagination Library' charity promoting literacy.