Nashville has taken another major step toward giving Dolly Parton one of the biggest honors of her extraordinary career.

Just days after Tennessee leaders announced their desire to rename Nashville International Airport in Dolly’s honor, the idea has now received another powerful show of support.

The Nashville Metro Council unanimously adopted a resolution supporting the effort.

It means the push to put Dolly’s name on the gateway to Music City is no longer simply an idea circulating among fans.

But there is one important detail: the name change is not official yet.

The final decision still rests with the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, which is expected to discuss the proposal — along with its current naming policy — at its September 17 meeting.

The movement began long before Dolly’s death.

Fans had launched a petition asking officials to rename the airport in her honor, and support surged dramatically afterward, attracting more than 150,000 signatures.

Then Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Nashville airport officials announced their intent to pursue the tribute.

Lee also revealed that Dolly’s team had been consulted. They expressed appreciation for the enormous outpouring of support and said they were touched by the idea and open to continuing the conversation.

Now Nashville’s Metro Council has added its unanimous support.

For generations of fans, the significance goes far beyond changing the name on an airport terminal.

Dolly rose from humble beginnings in Tennessee to become one of the most recognizable entertainers in the world, while never losing the connection to the state she called home.

Her legacy also stretched far beyond music through charitable work such as the Imagination Library, which has provided books to millions of children.

If the proposal ultimately moves forward, travelers arriving in Music City could someday be welcomed through an airport carrying the name of one of Tennessee’s most beloved daughters.

For Dolly’s fans, September 17 could now be the date to watch.