Speaking of VSU, the tri-cities area of Petersburg, Hopewell, and Colonial Heights is also a good place to look considering the proximity to Fort Lee and the numerous industrial/manufacturing employers in that area. 

I tend to lean that way as well and don't mind jumping into the trenches and getting my hands dirty as I'm also a general & manufactured home contractor, manufactured home dealer and developer, real estate broker, investor and property manager.

This will be a boon to the Tiny House and Manufactured Home Industry.

They have a good credit rating and good income but were just refused a loan for the home they want because it's a manufactured home.

Developing is a manufacturing business.

There is also a decent bit of manufacturing.  

Account Closed down played a large deployment, but large deployments can and do happen, oil fields can and do crash with the oil market, automotive manufacturing can and does crash with changes in demand.

Hardware stores make money, which in turn manufacturers make money.The list goes on. 

Las Vegas will have its first major national sports team (NHL), Faraday Future is a new electric car company that is building a huge manufacturing facility, (not putting a lot of emphasis on this because it can possibly flop you know like Fisker).

It used to have a lot of manufacturing but not so much anymore.