Michael Morton | |
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Born | 1964 (age 52–53) Chicago, Illinois |
Residence | Las Vegas, Nevada |
Nationality | American |
Occupation | Businessman, restaurateur |
Known for | Co-Founder of the N9NE Group |
Spouse(s) | Jenna Morton |
Children | 3 |
Parent(s) | Arnie Morton, Zorine Morton |
Michael Morton (born 1964) is the co-founder of Morton Group which operates La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway inside Wynn Las Vegas, CRUSH inside MGM Grand and La Comida in Downtown Las Vegas He is also the former owner and co-founder of N9NE Group and the son of Arnie Morton, the founder of the Morton's Steakhouse.
Michael Morton is the son of Zorine and Arnie Morton, who founded Morton's Steakhouse restaurants. Raised in Chicago, Morton spent most of his young life in restaurants, which contributed to his co-founding the N9NE Steakhouse in 2000 with Scott DeGraff. Before co-founding N9NE, Morton and DeGraff were known for having opened Drink and Eat, Too in Chicago in 1992. The psychedelic dance club featured inventive touches like a VIP bar in an elevator shaft and drinks served in baby bottles; they would later open Drink! in Las Vegas in 1995. Morton and DeGraff had many successful years with N9NE Group, opening Las Vegas-based megaclub Rain, the tower-topping Ghostbar and N9NE Steakhouse, which created a trend of club-like restaurants that dominate the Strip today. Morton has been credited for having created some of the first lucrative, non-gaming nightlife ventures in Las Vegas including N9NE, Rain, Ghostbar, Moon, Nove Italiano and the Playboy Club, all located in the Palms Casino.
Michael founded Morton Group in 2010 with his wife, Jenna Morton, to open a new portfolio of restaurants, selling his share of N9NE Group in 2011. Morton Group's first restaurant, La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway, opened at Wynn Las Vegas at the end of 2010. His focus on Morton Group is a reflection of his desire to develop restaurants, like his father, as opposed to Vegas nightclubs. The pair followed La Cave's success with the debut of a funky, urban Mexican Restaurant, La Comida, which opened in Downtown Las Vegas' burgeoning Fremont East Entertainment District in May 2013, and then with CRUSH, a highly social restaurant and bar serving American cuisine, at MGM Grand in December 2013.
La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway serves an upscale menu of American small-plates with items from the sea, farm, garden, oven and grill, prepared by Morton Group's Corporate Executive Chef William DeMarco. Reminiscent of a vintner’s tasting room, La Cave presents a multi-sensory journey including mood, food and music, perfect for gatherings of two or 200. La Comida uses traditional ingredients and family culinary secrets from various regions in Mexico combined with the sophisticated influence of Mexico City. The restaurant brings a funky, American rock-n-roll vibe to Mexican food in one of Sin City's hippest areas. CRUSH, located in MGM Grand, offers a selection of American cuisine, also by DeMarco. Among the “Best Places to Party…While Having Dinner” and “The Best Restaurants in Vegas, Right Now” by Thrillist, the highly social restaurant and bar offers a range of dishes to satisfy foodies and casual diners, alike.