Hi there. I just got this phone through Verizon and was very disappointed I could not put any custom ROM on it. The options are next to none unfortunately. I feel like since it has been the manufacturer trend to make mini (or compact, Sony) versions of their flagship phones lately, support for the GS4 Mini would give the group people who like that smaller form factor (myself included) a great option for running a custom ROM on their phone.
I know a Verizon version of AOKP for the S4 Mini would probably be harder to make than for the standard LTE version, but even a ROM for that phone would be great to see too. I consider myself an Android enthusiast, and chose the S4 mini for its form factor. I think as these smaller phones become more popular the demand for custom ROMs will accordingly increase.