Golden Gate officials said after nearly five decades of selling shrimp cocktails for 99 cents, the price has doubled to a whopping $1.99, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Sunday.

"It's certainly not a gasoline-type gouging we're going for here," said Scott DeAngelo, hotel vice president of gaming and marketing. "It remains a good value and it remains damn good."

Food and Beverage Director Michael Storm blamed the cost increase at Las Vegas' oldest hotel-casino on the rising cost of cold-water shrimp.

Since the 99-cent item was placed on the hotel's menu in 1959, the gambling site has sold more than 30 million shrimp cocktails.

For 86-year-old retired welding inspector Ben Norgress, a regular at the casino, the price increase was indicative of social changes.

"Everything has gone up. What can you do?" Norgress told the newspaper. "If I objected to any of it, I'd just stay home and die."