TIVERTON, R.I. — The ground isn't broken or even yet cleared, but Twin River is taking its first step toward running a casino in town. It is recruiting for the 30 new card dealers it needs.

Twin River Worldwide Holdings is putting up posters and advertising locally, recruiting applicants for 50 available seats in the dealer training sessions set to begin Feb. 20.

The classes, which will be offered at no cost to selected applicants, will last four hours, one day a week for the next six weeks, Twin River officials say.

"We have an immediate need for 30 dealers in Lincoln," said Patti Doyle, spokesperson for Twin River. "The advertising for the openings will run in the Tiverton area only, at least initially."

The classes will teach applicants how to run blackjack, poker, roulette, craps and other table games.

Those hired could be the first of the 550 to 600 people Twin River expects to have on the payroll when it opens its casino, hotel and entertainment venue on 45 acres at the corner of William S. Canning Boulevard and Stafford Road, right over the Fall River line.

Environmental site work has begun and Twin River was scheduled to present its preliminary design plans to the Tiverton Planning Board Tuesday night.

The Planning Board must sign off on the casino plans and make amendments to the town's zoning code and comprehensive town plan before Twin River can get the permits it needs to construct roads and begin putting up buildings.

"Once we get through the planning and zoning process, we'll schedule the job fairs," Doyle said. "We don't yet know the date of those job fairs."

The Tiverton casino is slated to have 1,000 slot machines and 30 table games, a quarter the size of the casino Twin River operates in Lincoln. Those trained in the February class would be hired to fill slots in Lincoln, but it is expected that some personnel trained in Lincoln will move to the Tiverton casino once it opens, Doyle said.

"Dealers don't necessarily have to have experience elsewhere," Doyle said. "We are looking for people with a customer service background.

The application for the school is on the Twin River website at twinriver.com.

Applicants will have to obtain a Rhode Island gaming employee license before beginning work as a dealer. That application is available online through the state Department of Business Regulation. The license application fee is $75, plus $35 for a criminal background check.

You will also need a current valid photo identification issued by a federal, state or local government agency. A birth certificate with an official seal will also be accepted.