A councilwoman for the city of Nashville is seeking to name Nashville International Airport after billionaire media mogul Oprah Winfrey, pleading with the mayor to hear her proposal.
Metro Council Member Sharon Hurt is petitioning Nashville Mayor David Briley to rename the airport after Nashville International Airport officials pushed back on her proposal, which she first pitched to the board on November 5, the Tennessean reported Tuesday.
“It’s Oprah. Nashville is in a very unique position to be able to offer that type of recognition to someone that’s very deserving,” Hurt told the Tennessean. “I think it’s a grand opportunity for us to recognize someone of Oprah’s stature.”
Oprah had attended college at Tennessee State University, spent her high school years at East High School, and began her career in Nashville more than 40 years ago.
But the members of the airport’s advisory board say the 64-year-old media mogul does not qualify to have an airport named after her.
The board cited a policy that says individuals only qualify for the honor if they have been dead for at least two years and if they “have made a substantial contribution” to the field of aviation in Nashville or throughout the world.
Hurt has been known for her quests to rename other areas of the city after prominent figures. In March, she petitioned the council to name a portion of Charlotte Avenue after Martin Luther King Jr. in honor of the 50th anniversary of his assassination.
Oprah has been on the minds of many elite Hollywood women. A survey conducted by the Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday found that the talk show host tops the list for dream 2020 presidential contenders.
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