Searching for a U.S. city with the most favorable weather and growth potential, Alex Babichev, owner and founder of AGR Sports, chose Houston.

He moved in 2017 and opened the first state-side iteration of the Ukraine-based sports park and entertainment venue near downtown Houston in 2020.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Babichev was able to expand the brand out to Katy, where he lives with his family, in October 2022.
AGR Sports has around 12 activities its patrons can engage in. (Courtesy Steven Smith)


The features

One element of the success of AGR Sports, short for Agressor Sports Club, has been its ability to adapt, Babichev said. First only offering paintball and laser tag, the venue now has about 12 indoor activities.


“Every year, paintball gets less popular,” Babichev said. “And not everyone can do paintball, so that's why we started offering more and more activities.”

Now, AGR Sports has ax throwing, arcade games, virtual reality and an immersive 7D movie theater, as of February.

There's also a kitchen and a bar as well as a stage for live performances, karaoke and DJs, which the venue welcomes bimonthly.

Eats include pizza, salads and bar bites, including chips and queso, burgers and mozzarella sticks. From the bar, patrons can choose between 19 cocktails and various beer and wine options.


Babichev emphasized how there is something for everyone to engage in and encouraged that families play together.

“We want to build a complex where everybody can find something for you,” he said. “Everyone from 6 [years old] and up, we have something.”
The key to the sports park and entertainment venue's success has been its versatility, the owner said. (Courtesy Steven Smith)
Staying local

He chose Katy for the second location for the same reasons as the first, Babichev said. An added plus was the great school district, the city’s continued development and the other entertainment venues in the area, he said.

He said he believes the area near the intersection of the Grand Parkway and I-10 will continue to grow. Here, patrons can find a cluster of other entertainment businesses, such as golf venue Pop Stroke, baseball-themed park Home Run Dugout, and Andretti Indoor Karting and Games.


“There’s more entertainment in Katy than any other part of Houston,” Babichev said. “Maybe some businesses think about it as competition, but no, because people don’t like going to the same place every week. You want to try something new.”
The interior of the space is sports-themed, with a wide open area for performances, dining and conversing. (Courtesy Steven Smith)
What’s next

Babichev said he plans to start searching for the next Houston-area location of AGR Sports in May or June and is eyeing either The Woodlands, League City or Cypress.

“Every location will get bigger and bigger, with more activities,” Babichev said.