Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feburary 12, 2001


                             DIGITAL TELEPORT, INC.


DIGITAL TELEPORT, INC.
8112 MARYLAND AVENUE
ST. LOUIS, MO 63105

CONTACT:
Gary W. Douglass
Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer
Phone: (314) 880-1800
Fax: (314) 880-1999
gdougl(pound)dti-usa.com

Visit our web site at
www.dti-usa.com

Digital Teleport,  Inc. Announces Completion of Transactions Resulting in Change
of Ownership Control

ST.  LOUIS,  Missouri,  February  12,  2001 - DTI  Holdings,  Inc.  (DTI)  today
announced  that KLT Telecom Inc.  (KLTT),  a  subsidiary  of Kansas City Power &
Light Company, has assumed control of DTI by completing a purchase of DTI shares
from DTI's founder, Richard D. Weinstein.  This transaction and the accompanying
closing of a tender  offer for  warrants of DTI will result in KLTT owning 83.6%
of the outstanding stock of DTI.

     Mr.  Weinstein has resigned his position as Chairman,  President and CEO of
DTI. Gary W. Douglass,  DTI's Senior Vice President and Chief Financial  Officer
has been  appointed  Interim CEO.  DTI is  currently  conducting a search for an
experienced telecommunications executive to assume the role of President & CEO.

     KLTT has committed to provide DTI bridge  revolver  financing for a minimum
of $75  million  and  assist  DTI in  arranging  a  permanent  revolving  credit
facility.  DTI will use this financing to complete  construction  of the planned
DTI network and to meet its other working capital requirements.




"We are very  pleased to have a parent  company  with both the human and capital
resources of Kansas City Power & Light," said Gary W.  Douglass,  DTI's  Interim
CEO. "With this change of ownership, we are now better positioned to execute our
strategy by completing  our high capacity  network and expanding the  geographic
scope of our product offerings", he added.

DTI is the parent of Digital  Teleport,  Inc.  which is  creating a fiber  optic
network to serve  customers  in 37 states.  When  complete  the DTI network will
provide state-of-the-art digital transmission through approximately 20,000 route
miles of fiber optic cable  configured  in  approximately  23  "regional  rings"
focusing on  underserved  secondary  and  tertiary  cities.  The network also is
linked to major cities coast-to-coast.




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