With a clamorous crowd, blasting arena horn and sporadic referees’ whistles, it sounded like a typical Topper basketball game.

But from the Atmos Energy company-owned suite No. 2, one may never notice.

From the upperlevel luxury box, the crowd noise is a raspy whisper, the horn is like an ignored alarm clock and the whistles are like the chirps of birds in the distance.

Camaraderie with a co-worker takes precedence over the competition on the floor.

Family members and friends unwind in the supple, black leather seats, which are more like a comfortable chair reserved for crashing into after a difficult work day than the other chairs and bleachers that encircle the arena.

“It’s a great way to socialize with clients and friends on an informal basis,” Atmos Sales Manager Dan Price said. “It has really helped us with building relationships.”

As part of the $32.5 million Diddle Arena renovation that began in April 2002 and was completed in August 2003, 16 luxury boxes were added to the upper level of the arena.

“A lot of people are really impressed and surprised with how nice these things really are,” said Darian Westerfield, associate director of the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation. The foundation is an athletic booster organization that provides scholarship funding for student-athletes.

The cost for a luxury box is $29,500 per year with a portion of the money going to the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation, Westerfield said.

The package includes 16 season tickets for men’s and women’s basketball games, six guest passes per game and eight parking passes, Westerfield said.

Since some of the money from the luxury box goes to the foundation, it’s considered a donation and is tax-deductible, Westerfield said.

In 2005, the leasing of luxury boxes raised $105,000 for Hilltopper Athletic Foundation, said Paula Jarboe, trust accountant for the WKU Foundation.

Money that isn’t donated to the foundation or spent to pay for the tickets and foundation membership is used to pay off Diddle debt, Westerfield said.

There is $31.5 million in outstanding debt from the sale of bonds, said Darrell Horn, director of athletic business affairs.

Local businesses have leased the boxes for three or five years, 12 of which were up for renewal this year. Six of the boxes have been leased again to the same companies for five years, and two for three years, Westerfield said.

The remaining four are expected to renew as well.

Because the boxes are independently owned, alcohol can be served in them at the discretion of the owners, Westerfield said.

The menu for the night’s event is also up to the owner, who pays extra for a Centerplate catering package, Westerfield said.

In suite No. 15, the American Bank and Trust and Center of Insurance box, 21 guests munched on cocktail shrimp and the all-American package, which includes burgers, chicken fingers, hot dogs and an assortment of cookies.

“People love coming up here,” said Tony Salyier, branch president of American Bank and Trust. “We just have room to walk around and freedom to enjoy ourselves.”

While home basketball games are covered, special event tickets are extra.

When the circus last came to Diddle, Salyier said he bought 16 tickets for every show for bank employees and their families.

“People had such a great time, and it was such an easy way to entertain friends,” Salyier said.

Back in suite No. 2, halftime buzzes in, but only a handful of chit-chatting fans notice.

Reach Andrew McNamara at sports@wkuherald.com.