Louisville Renames Airport After Hometown Hero Muhammad Ali

Louisville International Airport is about to be renamed after hometown great Muhammad Ali.

After Wednesday's vote on a recommendation by a working group that studied renaming for more than a year, the city announced the airport will become the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, instead of Louisville International Airport.

Heavyweight champion boxer Ali labeled himself "The Greatest of All Time," and was among the most famous and beloved athletes on the planet. Ali was known not only for his athletic prowess but also for his social activism. He died in 2016 after decades with Parkinson's disease.

"This tells the world how proud we are to associate 'The Greatest' with not only our great city, but our great airport," Jim Welch, chairman of the Airport Authority Board, said in a statement.

Ali's widow, Lonnie Ali, expressed her support for the name change: "I am happy that visitors from far and wide who travel to Louisville will have another touch-point to Muhammad and be reminded of his open and inclusive nature, which is reflective of our city."