The article explores the theory and the practice of the management of the State owned cultural heritage, through temporary concession to local public authorities. Recent Italian legislation on finance allows the Ministry of Cultural Goods (MiBAC) to allocate important pieces of the Italian cultural good at local level on a project appraisal approach, satisficing specific conditions on the conservation and on the pursuing of some economic and social outcomes. A brief outline of the Italian national legislation is included. The article describes the case study of the ex-prison of San Domenico, in San Gimignano, Tuscany, as an interesting good practice. The article points out the project strengths and the few lessons useful for other similar cultural projects.