BRISTOL, Va. — Amy LaPrade said she could do any job Hard Rock International offered but was excited to learn more about becoming a table game dealer.

LaPrade, of Kingsport, Tennessee, will get that opportunity after being offered a dealer’s job, on Feb. 28, during the Florida-based company’s first hiring event for its Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Bristol. The event attracted hundreds of job seekers to the Delta Hotels Marriott convention center.

“Currently I drive an 18-wheeler. I miss my grandbabies, and I miss being at home, and I want to see our community grow,” LaPrade said in response to a question about why she wanted to work for Hard Rock. “I like the card games and the board games. … I can do everything here. I can drive the limo, bartend, manage the hotel — I can do everything here but the card games — so I want to learn something new.”

LaPrade has been driving a big rig for three years but said her favorite job before this was driving a cement mixer and pouring concrete.

The first casino in Virginia will be the Bristol Casino, future home of Hard Rock — a temporary facility in the Bristol Mall. It is expected to have about 22 table games, 875 slot machines, a high-limit area, a sports book, a nonsmoking area, a retail shop and a restaurant and bar.

The company plans to hire about 700 people for the temporary casino, which is expected to open in late spring. They will then shift over to the Hard Rock casino, which is expected to open in 2024.

“This area needs this so much. Our economy needs this so much. People need jobs,” LaPrade said.

Hard Rock took over the convention center with its purple, gold and black balloons and colorful signage around virtually every corner as team members from the corporate offices and many Hard Rock properties busily put candidates through the hiring process. Applicants underwent an introductory session to learn about Hard Rock’s culture, one-on-one interviews and — for those selected — began the process of licensing and starting their background check by the Virginia Lottery, which will oversee casino gaming in Virginia.

Meaghan Ryan, Hard Rock’s corporate vice president of talent, said the global company is searching for specific traits.

“Our primary goal is to provide the best guest service, so we are looking for team members who are able to provide great guest service, have a great attitude, great personality, people who want to have fun,” Ryan said.