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I’ll admit it. I was a Teatro ZinZanni virgin until a recent weekend performance.

For years Sports Leisure has been escorting groups to this very impressive and very unique dinner show and for years it has been on my bucket list of things to do in San Francisco along with Beach Blanket Babylon and a host of other activities one can only find in the City by the Bay. Now I can’t wait for the next performance.

Several weeks ago we learned the Teatro tent will be pulling down its poles to make way for a massive redevelopment of the city’s waterfront along the Embarcadero between the Ferry Building and Pier 39. The project anticipates the arrival of the final sailing races of the America’s Cup Series, scheduled for the summer of 2013. Teatro ends its historic run at Pier 29 with a closing show and party on New Year’s Eve. Unsure of where the performance will be moving, and when, I resolved to head to one of the final shows along with my wife Susan and our good friends Ted and Faye – longtime residents of San Francisco and themselves Teatro ZinZanni “newbies.” A matinee to accommodate the schedules of our respective babysitters suited both couples quite well.

We arrived early and took advantage of the beautifully decorated lobby. Before show drinks were available at the lobby bar, adjacent to the show’s kitschy boutique where one can dress up in purchased hats and feathered boas in anticipation of the performance. Shortly before noon, the doors opened and our costumed wait staff, who are themselves supporting cast members, seated us at our table.

Presented “in the round” the show changes themes regularly throughout the year but maintains a stellar cast of musicians, singers, and vaudeville-style entertainers. Jugglers, gymnasts, and acrobats joined a cast of very talented dancers and singers. The theme of this version of the show harkened back to the days of old-time radio and featured some beautiful songs, catchy jingles, and a little bit of the “chaos” for which the show is known. In between the impressive acts, a four course lunch was served: a starter of crostini, brie and fresh olives, a delicious spinach salad followed by a choice of three entrees, and an exquisite chocolate dessert.

After the show I had a chance to speak to a staff member who confided in me that Teatro ZinZanni will build a new permanent home on San Francisco’s Embarcadero waterfront to open by the end of 2012. The new site is a triangular parcel, located where Broadway and Davis meet the Embarcadero. With any luck, Sports Leisure’s next visit to Teatro ZInZanni will be announced toward the end of next summer. I know I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed!

The phone call came a few weeks ago. The California State Parks Foundation was asking me to speak on the steps of the state capitol to a small rally. Comprised of concerned businesses, the folks at the rally were dropping off letters to Governor Brown supporting state parks and attending an Assembly committee meeting to discuss the impact of closing 70 state parks next year. I quickly accepted.

State parks are a tremendous resource for Sports Leisure customers and therefore, our business. We regularly visit state parks throughout California, many of which are on the closure list: Bidwell Mansion, Benicia State Capitol Park, Leland Stanford Mansion, and the Weaverville Joss House to name just a few. These parks provide not only products to sell and income for our company, more importantly they provide destinations for our customers to discover or re-discover.

Of course, they also generate income for the state through admissions and use fees. These figures say nothing about the local businesses adjacent to these parks that also rely on them for income; income that generates sales and employment taxes. In fact, the California State Parks Foundation estimates that for every dollar the state invests in a state park, it receives $2.35 back to its general fund.

Naturally these parks will never “close” in the traditional sense of the word. They will be operated under “caretaker” status. But how do you stop people from camping in parks? You can’t just erect a fence around an entire outdoor camping area. If the state has no money to keep them open how will they afford to keep out people who attempt to dismantle or deface buildings or other improvements? How will they prevent illegal activities from occurring? And what about parks that hold priceless treasures like the Governor’s Mansion in Sacramento or Bidwell Mansion in Chico? How will these parks be secured? Will their contents be climate controlled to prevent irreversible damage? And what about the buildings themselves, many of which are on the register of historic places and in need of constant care?

It’s a terrible tragedy that our government is being allowed to sell off our inheritance. If you truly care about state parks and want to preserve them for yourselves and future generations, then you need to act. Speak out by contacting your representatives in Sacramento. Visit a state park or even better, volunteer in one. And spread the word to your family and friends or through social media outlets like Facebook. Only then can we assure these parks remain open to those to whom they truly belong.

To learn more about the state park closures and how you can get involved, head on over to www.savestateparks.org.